


The Road We're On (Will Take us Places)

by theJuniorRoyals



Category: SEVENTEEN (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Friends to Lovers, M/M, Multi, Polyamory, Unresolved Romantic Tension, dont tell me otherwise, i love ot4 you all should too okay;;, i really needed this in my life, mingyu is a bottom ok, not explicit but mentioned, tags will be added on as story progresses
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-22
Updated: 2017-11-09
Packaged: 2018-11-03 12:04:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 24,552
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10966857
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/theJuniorRoyals/pseuds/theJuniorRoyals
Summary: Minghao goes from a nobody to a somebody, with a somebody, another somebody, and another somebody. They just can't seem to figure out where they all stand in each others lives.





	1. One

**Author's Note:**

> hi !! omg im really excited about this i love ot4 and literally any combo of ot4 so i really wanted to write this because we need more poly exposure because there's nothing wrong with poly and i really love this poly ot4 and im sorry i'll go please enjoy  
> (side note: i got inspo from ao3 user alateni because they write really good ot4 fics and i wanted to dabble in it myself so if youre reading this i hope u like it u inspired me mwah)

This was going to be awkward.

At least, for Minghao. Maybe not other people who are open to making new friends, maybe not to those who enjoy going out of their comfort zones sometimes. But not Minghao. And just on the car ride to the house had his nerves sizzling under his skin.

Here’s the situation- Minghao picked everything up from his hometown of Phoenix, Arizona and made a cross country drive to the state of Maine where he was going to school. It was a tough decision, it was a target school, but it also had weather extremities he was not willing to welcome with open arms. He would leave his high school friends; he would leave his family and his dog Mochi, God forbid anything happen to the dog while he is gone and his family will be hearing about it, he will be essentially gone. For this one school, just because he was tired of the heat of Arizona and because he heard the beach was fantastic.

So, that’s what he did. His acceptation letter came a few months before the end of his last year of high school, and at the time, he knew he wanted nothing more than to be away from the normality of Arizona and be far away.

Now, though, he is not so sure. He made it to Maine, a whole 2 and a half days (with stops) and he felt great the whole time there, but in this moment, he felt a little sick.

He needed to rent a house with another home owner, a fellow college student from what he has heard, by heard, it entails that he had one or two online chats with the kid letting him know all the information, when to come, price, distance from the house to the school, and exactly who would be living there. That last piece of information was cut off after Minghao was informed that the only other person living there for the time being, was the person he talked to.

He was a year older than Minghao and his name was Wonwoo, he was Korean and apparently had enough money to rent the whole place for himself until he put it up for people to share with him. Minghao knew nothing more than his name, age, and location. Multiple times during the trip he was a bit worried that this was a scam, but pulling onto the road that the house was situated on (which was very close to the beach, Minghao delightfully noted), he was too caught up in staring at the sizes of these homes to notice when his brother, who offered to go on a cross country trip with him, pulled up to the address.

The house was yellow, two stories with a balcony on the top and a bit of a colonial look to it, but modernized enough that Minghao could only stare in awe. His brother turned into a stone driveway on the side of the house and swung around to the garage, which was open, and had another man pulling bags out of the trunk of a black, expensive looking car parked inside said garage.

Upon the arrival of another vehicle behind him, he turned around, and Minghao was a little embarrassed at a thought that dashed through his head of being at the wrong house. It dissipated quickly though when the boy (which must be Wonwoo) nodded his head in greeting with a smile accompanying it. He was wearing a loose white t-shirt with black pants seeing how the weather was a little on the dreary side today, and he dropped his bags back in the car to come around and help Minghao. He decided now was a good time to step out of the car.

The air was a slap to the face, fresh and salty and nothing like the humid airs of Arizona and he loved it already. He shut the door behind him and took Wonwoo’s welcoming hand in a hand shake and was greeted by his raspy voice.

“Minghao, right?” He nodded. “I’m Wonwoo, the owner. It’ll just be us two in here for now until someone comes through with taking the extra space.”

“Owner?” Minghao asked as they both walked around to the back of the car to grab his bags, watching as Wonwoo and his brother introduced each other.

“Yeah, my parents technically own the place and had it rented out to various people, but decided to give it to me this year. You know, close to the school, I can have people here with me. Doesn’t sound so convincing out loud but, at least I got out of those dorms and good thing you won’t need to experience it.”

Minghao couldn’t help but to agree at the logic as he carried a suitcase into the garage, setting it at the door that led into the house. Wonwoo turned to his brother who had the last two bags hooked over his arms, showing no sign of weakness (which was something Minghao was always envious of). “Are you staying the night?”

He shook his head. “No, I was going to get going right away. I have important shit on the clock in three days and if I left now I would have just enough time.”

“Want something for the ride? Food, water, anything?” Wonwoo offered.

“No thanks, man. I got to leave right away, just thought I’d come along to experience the northeast.” He turned to Minghao. “Have fun over here, don’t get too drunk, safe sex, if you’re going to do drugs, let nobody know,”

“Jesus, I’ll be fine, thanks for the concern though.” He joked at his brother who was retreating to his car. It warmed his heart to know he cared and made it break a little to see his brother back away to not be seen for some months.

“Hey,” He called. “Don’t fail. If you do, mom and dad will kick my ass to make up for your absence.”

He laughed, and he heard Wonwoo snicker from behind him. “I’ll do good! Take care of Mochi! If you don’t I’ll fly back personally to slit your throat, and that’s a promise!”

With one last smile and wave, he jumped back in the car and drove down the drive way into the street, and Minghao tried to ignore the already present hint of homesickness. He felt a tap on his shoulder.

“Let me give you a tour, it’s better than it looks on the outside, I promise.”

“It can get better? It already looks like a million bucks from the front.” Wonwoo laughed as he stepped in the entryway.

“Nah, not this one. The million dollar ones are down the street.” Minghao was about to ask if he was being serious, because if he was he needed to see it immediately, when he was dragged (softly) by the arm into the door. He was faced with a small hallway, a door on his left and a door on his right. A washing machine and dryer were in the rightmost corner. “Clearly, if you’re not blind, this is where you can wash your clothes. In that door, you can go look, is a bathroom that we usually use when we get back from the beach, just because it helps to keep the actual house clean.” Minghao was about to ask what he meant by the actual house, but decided to just wait and find out. The bathroom was average sized, a window over the toilet, little seashell knickknacks on the pedestal sink, and a shower, without one of those annoying porcelain wall for a bathtub. He ducked back out and followed Wonwoo through the door on the right, and he suddenly understood what he meant by the ‘actual house’.

“Here,” He gestured to the left, “Is the kitchen. And uh,” he pointed straight ahead of them. “That takes you out to the sitting area outside these windows, and those two entryways right there take you to the living room, and the one of the right will take you to another little space with the dining table and the stair case.”

He took a minute to digest it. The pale yellow of the walls nicely fit the blue of the cushy accent chairs on the left wall with a window above them, the patio door, from what he could see, led to the front yard through the patio that curved around the house. The kitchen was the most aesthetically pleasing, the white cabinets and stainless steel appliances went nicely with the white marble looking countertops. There was an island in the middle of the kitchen area (which was arguable the whole room) with stools on the opposite side of where they were both standing. To the right, there was an entryway to the living room which had a light blue theme, the far end of the room housed curing windows, all open to let natural light stream in.

“So like, I’m bad at these house tours but like, you know, this is the living room, out here is the dining room, I guess you can call it.” They walked out into another little archway, the dining room was extending to their right, a long ebony table sat in the corner and across from it, next to the front door, where two more accent chairs with a small white table in between them. A single small pot of a succulent plant was sitting on the table. The staircase was on their left, a bathroom tucked underneath it. Wonwoo led him up the stairs into a hexagonal foyer-like room. One door in front of him, one door to the left and to the right, and a hallway in the corner next to the door facing him head on. That was the one they went to first.

“This door is so fucking weird, Jesus,” It was one of those doors that slid instead of opened normally, and Minghao could already see himself having problems with it. “This is a bathroom, sink, shower, closet and racks for towels and shit.” The bathroom had a sea theme, boats ad anchors were strewn on the shower curtain and little anchors embroidered into the accent towels.

They stepped back into the hall into the door closest to the staircase. “Bedroom, most likely will be a spare.” Wonwoo turned to the door on their right. When he opened it, all Minghao was captivated by was the view of the sea through the big French doors. “This is the master bedroom, my bedroom that I will probably have someone living in with me soon.” The bed was placed on the right wall, the balcony in front of them. To the left of that was a circular space with windows on every wall and a big circular chair sat right in the middle. A TV and dresser were directly across from the bed, and Minghao followed Wonwoo deeper into the room, revealing a walk-in closet and a bathroom. Whoever stayed here with Wonwoo had it fucking made, he decided.

They left the room and went down the hallway and Wonwoo opened the door and gave way for Minghao to step into first. It was a drop, which he was not expecting, so he stumbled but was caught by Wonwoo. “Yeah. There’s a step there, watch out for that.” It was a very long room, the ceilings coming in like they were in the attic, but he didn’t feel creeped out up here like he would if it were an attic. There was a TV mounted on the wall of the door above and L-shaped desk which rounded from said wall to the right most wall. Two desk chairs sat at both sides of the desk, and Minghao brought his eyes up to survey the two beds, one on each wall and two respective closets on both sides of the far end of the room, separated by a window seat.

“Is this my room?” Wonwoo trotted down the step after him.

“Yeah, hope you don’t mind eventually sharing with someone.” Minghao shook his head. “There’s plenty of closet space so you shouldn’t run out, and the person should hopefully be here sometime next week. Found out it was final this morning, so we will be having four people here eventually.”

“It’s no problem, I mean, it’s big enough for me. It’s great.” He turned to Wonwoo, and only noticed what he looked like now. He had dark hair that came to his eyebrows, a long, slim nose and full lips, dark eyes that looked menacing, and a frame that mirrored Minghao’s own. Not lanky, not incredibly buff, but able to lift heavy things when he needs to. He was attractive, and kind of hot, dare he say it. He envied whoever would be sharing Wonwoo’s room.

“Let’s bring your stuff in, we can go grab some food after.”

\--

Wonwoo helped Minghao load up his closet and took him to the seafood place by the rocks, by the lighthouse on an island close by. Popcorn shrimp was in front of Minghao, and he was taking greedy dips of the tartar sauce while Wonwoo sat across from him, a classic fish and chips on his plate (or, rather, cardboard take out box) and they watched people around them, listened to the chatter of excited children and vacationers, and Minghao breathed in the salty air. He could never get this in Arizona.

“So, tell me. What was Arizona like?” Wonwoo placed the phone that was previously in his hand on the table and looked at Minghao. He sighed.

“Don’t get your hopes up, but it wasn’t exciting. Very hot, dry, I was nowhere near a beach, and before you ask, as close as I was to Mexico, no, I’ve never been.” Wonwoo laughed.

“So like, anything fun to do over there?”

Minghao shrugged. “You can throw cacti at people. That’s kind of fun.”

“Jesus, you’re cruel.” Minghao popped another shrimp in his mouth.

“I never did it, know someone who has had it done to them though. But, really. There’s nothing over there. After living there for eighteen years, there’s only so many times you can go to the Grand Canyon and enjoy it. I’ve been to California about three times, only one of them was to Los Angeles, wasn’t that exciting to be honest. Just a lot of white girls in big sunglasses and white boys with a camera in front of their face,”

“True, true…” Wonwoo muttered, looking down to cut a piece off the fish.

“Las Vegas was pretty fun, though. I would have loved to go back one more time before coming here. There’s a lot to do there, especially when you know someone who makes fake IDs.”

Wonwoo’s eyebrows raised, and a small smile quirked on his face. “Goddamn, didn’t know you had it in you.” Minghao shrugged, feigning innocence. “Hopefully us northerners can help you find something to do. And hopefully find you some winter clothes. It gets cold as balls.”

“I assumed so, I took the warmest clothes I could find.”

They chatted more as the sun came closer and closer to the horizon, Minghao telling Wonwoo more about his life at home and vice versa, Minghao was intrigued by how involved Wonwoo was, or wasn’t he couldn’t remember a lot, just that his lips were nice to look at when they moved. They were talking about types of people they hated when Wonwoo cut him off by calling someone’s name.

“Minghao, sorry about that, but I think it would be nice to meet who you might be living with.” Their food was long gone by now, the cardboard in the trash so nothing but an empty table was in front of them, until someone with a long Coke Zero can put it down in front of Minghao. He looked up to see who this could be.

He felt like he was back in middle school, with the silly feeling of love at first sight, or lust at first sight. But it was real this time, he swears. He had a sculpted jaw and a beautiful, wide smile. His hair fell onto his forehead and his eyes shone when he looked down to Minghao, and he noticed the glint of his nose stud in the left nostril.

“Minghao, this is Junhui, my friend, and hopefully, our soon-to-be roommate.” Junhui sat down next to Minghao at the circular table and greeted him with a warm smile and nod. Minghao reciprocated.

“You’re going to our university, too?” Minghao nodded, he felt his insides clench. Even his voice was silky smooth. He wondered if his hands were as well. “That’s cool, makes it easier for all of us then.” Wonwoo was about to speak but was cut off. “Yes, before you ask me for the millionth time, I will move in. This week. I still have shit to pack.”

“What do you mean, shit to pack? All you need is clothes, dude.”

“Wow, it’s so much more than that, Mr. Rich and Fancy.” Minghao smirked at the comment, and it dropped once attention was back on him. “Where are you from?”

“Phoenix, Arizona. And yes, it is very hot.” Junhui smiled again and it made Minghao want to keep talking, but he left Junhui have his chance.

“Clearly, you look tanned as hell.”

“Yeah, well, I needed a break for a bit. This is definitely a nice change. All you can smell is the sea over here, and all I could smell back home was cacti, and old people. Only old people live in Arizona, I swear.”

“But don’t like, young people go to the Grand Canyon all the time?”

Minghao shook his head. “If people go to the Grand Canyon, they don’t come to Phoenix. It’s in opposite sides of the state, so, I wouldn’t know, honestly.” Junhui pondered that for a minute, and when it seemed no more conversation was going to happen, he asked his own question. “Where are you from, Junhui?”

“Miami. Well, Miami is my hometown and I go down there every summer, but for the time being I live here, in Maine. Live here for school, you know.” Minghao nodded, feeling ashamed and embarrassed that he couldn’t think of much more to say. Luckily, Junhui did, but not to him.

“Do we know anything else about the other kid coming?”

“No, not really,” Wonwoo answered, “All I know is that he is Minghao’s age and he’s from Plymouth. Those Massachusetts people can get pretty wild.”

“Name?” Minghao piped in.

“Mingyu Kim, another Korean, it will make me feel a little more at home with both of you.” It seemed then through silent communication that both Junhui and Minghao found out they are both Chinese, or some form of it, and nodded silently to each other.

“Ask him what he looks like.” Junhui stated.

“No, that’s weird.” Wonwoo fired back.

Minghao scratched his head, and looked at people walking by with their face in their phones, and he figured it out. “Ask if he has an Instagram. Say it’s for security purposes.”

“I’ll leave out the security part, he already made arrangements to come.” They both watched Wonwoo type intently on his phone before setting it down, returning to conversation about Phoenix and throwing cacti when his phone buzzed, and they all looked on expectantly.

“Someone open Instagram. He sent me the username.” Minghao was three steps ahead, ready and open at the search bar, typing in the username kinggyu97. He was greeted with an aesthetic page of 1 thousand followers and pictures of a modelesque face behind a pair of rectangular wire frames and a small, silver loop through his septum. The display name read, ‘Mingyu Kim’.

“Shit, he’s hot.” Minghao thought it was him that said that for a moment, but turned to look at Junhui gawking over Minghao’s phone.

“That’s a very gay thing to say, Jun.” Wonwoo slid next to Junhui to take a look at Mingyu, their roommate.

“Oh, I’m sorry, I’m such a homosexual, and it’s inconveniencing your bi agenda.” Junhui didn’t look up to make the remark, and Minghao laughed when Wonwoo smacked him in the back of the head.

“It’s okay, Jun. We’re sailing the same boat here.” They both looked up, and Minghao could feel his cheeks warm a little at the sudden attention.

Junhui laughed and held his fist for Minghao to return the action. “Hell yeah, man. Gay power.”

“Jesus, that’s the gayest thing I have ever heard you say.” Wonwoo went back to bickering with Junhui, and Minghao felt his heart warm at the sight. He fit in here, he didn’t need to pretend, and he most certainly didn’t need to throw a cactus at anyone to make his point known.

This may just be the best school year of his life.


	2. Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Minghao is gay and home sick.

The days were blissful, and the nights, Minghao soon found out, were more blissful. There was no need to kick the covers off at 1AM due to a probable heat stroke in the next five minutes, and when he woke to finding that out, he thought he was in heaven. A place where you can sleep at night and not sweat your ass off? Minghao didn’t know a such place existed.

He remembers nights in Phoenix where it would be so hot that he could barely sleep with clothes on, no sheets touching him, nothing but the still air of the sweltering room was surrounding him. A few times he had succumbed to sleeping naked, only on the very strong trust in whatever higher power was watching over him that no one would walk in on him in the nude.

Minghao hasn’t been struck with home sickness yet, which he saw as a good thing and bad. Good because he can enjoy his time here before school starts and bad because he knows the longer it takes, the harder he will be hit with it.

His second night in Maine was when he woke close to midnight, he picked himself off the bed and sat on the seat under the window, right in between both closets, the right most one now held all Minghao’s belongings. He looked out into the backyard, seeing houses all around him and the lights of the streetlamps further off in the distance. He was almost tempted to leave the house, but decided he was too tired for such effort.

He was about to climb back under the very inviting comforter when he heard Wonwoo yelp from the other room followed by a hiss and a, ‘Nothing, just stubbed my toe.’

Never being one who broke the rules, of course, with anyone knowing, he crept his way down the small hallway into the second-floor foyer, where Wonwoo’s door was very slightly ajar and the yellow light of the room was leaking out into the main area.

He leaned his right side against the wall next to Wonwoo’s door and rested his head gently against it, all while listening to Wonwoo’s who must be on the phone. “Can you stop saying that? He is going to be your roommate, too, in due time, when you want to get your ass over here.” A pause, and Minghao heard Wonwoo sniffle every now and then and his own breathing. “Yes, okay, I know he is, but he just got here. I’m not asking him shit like that, or letting it be known. Calm down.” Minghao stood up straight at the realization at whoever he was on the phone with, most likely Junhui, seeing how they were talking about roommate situations, was talking about him.

He felt slightly more uncomfortable at this realization, and slowly forced his feet to work, and headed back down into the dark hallway, and unsettling feeling hovering over him as he laid in bed. The possibilities of what he could be talking about made his head spin, but he knew his place better than his curiosity did. He pushed all the thoughts aside, figuring it will do him good to never find out, he fell back asleep into a low temperature sleep.

The next morning brought commotion from the lower level of the house and confusion to his sleep glazed brain. He dragged himself out of the bed and tried to make himself look presentable before he showed up downstairs. He ran his fingers through his hair and twisted a few strands in between the pads of his fingers.

His feet relished in the cool feeling of the wooden stairs as he descended, noticing suitcases and bags of shoes at the base of the stairs.

“Hey, Minghao, just the guy I wanted to see.” Upon Wonwoo’s loud greeting, he whipped his head around to see Wonwoo at the dining table, sorting through small boxes of what seemed to be things like ties, glasses, bracelets, and belts. He also noticed Junhui standing next to Wonwoo in a black muscle shirt, defined biceps on full display as he, too, was staring at Minghao, with one eyebrow peaked in interest. “That’s a nice piece.” He looked back to Wonwoo, who was staring at his chest.

He had forgotten he walked down the stairs shirtless, and put the tattoo that no one in his family knew about on display.

“It’s nothing much.” He ran his finger over the delicate Latin script under his collarbones, looking up to see Junhui staring lower than his chest, and Minghao was afraid for a second he might have forgotten to put pants on. He looked down to make sure that he did, in fact, put pants on, but noticed most likely what Junhui was staring at. His forgotten, again, right nipple piercing that his of-age friend coerced him to get as a sixteenth birthday gift.

“What does it mean?” Junhui spoke up now, attention back on the tattoo.

“Um, ‘corvus oculum corvi non eruit’ means something like, ‘a crow won’t take the eye of another crow’. An ‘honor among thieves’ kind of thing, you know.”

“Deep.” Junhui made eye contact with him, paired with a small grin. He nodded his head in a manner that meant he wanted Minghao over. “Come sort this out with us.”

“Finally moving in?” Minghao more closely surveyed the contents of the box as he stepped over the bags and made his way toward Junhui. “What’s all this?”

“It’s just random shit like accessories and whatnot, and yeah, I took everything over this morning. You sleep late. It was so loud, how the hell did you sleep through that?” Minghao shrugged.

“Always been a heavy sleeper.” He peered inside the box, sorting through chains tangled together and mismatching earrings. “These all yours?”

Junhui came up to the side of Minghao, and the younger boy could feel his heat on his skin. It made him want to back away and pull closer at the same time. “Yeah, I cut down a lot though. I don’t need that much. I can deal with the loss by stealing Wonwoo’s.” Junhui looked over to Wonwoo to gander his reaction, and Minghao followed suit. Wonwoo was shaking his head while folding all the ties neatly.

“You wish.” Wonwoo looked up to meet Junhui’s eyes, and at that minute, the door was being knocked on. Wonwoo turned in surprise, but it seemed like he was expecting it. He turned to Minghao.

“That’s the new kid. Go now if you want to put a shirt on.” Minghao saw Wonwoo’s eyes dart to his chest for a split second and return to his eyes. Instead of considering it, he just ran up the stairs to the room.

He sifted through his closet and pulled out a red muscle shirt, deciding that the hot air coming through the windows called for it. He heard multiple voices parading through the air when he returned to the staircase, coming down and coming face to face with the person whose Instagram he was looking up just the other day.

The kid, or Mingyu, technically, looked at him with wide eyes behind thicker glasses this time, compared to the ones he saw on his Instagram page. He had his bottom lip in between his teeth, and he let it go to smile at Minghao, and he returned the action, gently. He hopped down the last few steps.

“Do either of you need help?” He addressed both Jun and Mingyu, however when both looked his way plus Wonwoo for a second, he felt overwhelmed with all the attention for a reason he couldn’t name. Wonwoo quickly looked away when he realized he wasn’t being spoken to, but neither Junhui nor Mingyu made a move to accept his help. “Seriously. I can help you both if you want.” He moved closer to the bags in the corner by the stair case, and Junhui seemed to snap out of his revere and tell Minghao to bring the red bag into Wonwoo’s room.

This was the second time he had been in Wonwoo’s room, and he felt a slick feeling crawl up his spine when he realized one problem about Junhui being in Wonwoo’s room.

There was one bed.

Minghao shouldn’t be bothered by this, but he couldn’t help it. He found them both quite attractive, and no time soon was he going to approach either of them, and it is none of his business if they are in a relationship. He shakes his head, it shouldn’t matter, even if he had a chance, they were both good for each other. Two seconds ago, he had just come face to face with yet another attractive man in the house, so what will happen if- Why is he thinking about this again?

Drop the bag and go, Minghao.

He trotted back down the stairs, past Mingyu who was coming up, saying he already knew where to bring his things and saw Junhui at the ebony dining table with Wonwoo standing behind him, looking something on Junhui’s phone. He interrupted the moment.

“Anything else?” Junhui looked up upon the exclamation and he stood.

“No, don’t worry about it. I’ll take that last one up, maybe Mingyu needs help, but, I’m all set. Thanks, though.” He held eye contact with Minghao as he walked by him to the suitcase that was still sitting by the base of the stairs, and Minghao turned and watched him ascend to the second floor, totally not paying attention to the bulge of his biceps as he carried it. He sighed and turned back to Wonwoo.

“Anything?”

Wonwoo shrugged. “Junhui’s already pretty at home, so I think for me and Jun it’s just making you and Mingyu feel the same.”

“It’s working already.” Minghao sat in the seat that was opposite where Wonwoo was standing. “It seems a lot easier to share information with you than people I’ve known back home.”

Wonwoo smirked at him kindly. “Yeah, I get that. It’s easier to tell someone you barely know something rather than someone you’ve known your whole life.” Minghao laughed and nodded along. “Hopefully we’ll come in handy for that. Also vice versa, for both me and Junhui. He loves to overshare, but don’t tell him I said that.”

Minghao looked up at Wonwoo to see a soft gaze, and he was sure if he were sitting next to Wonwoo he would have run his fingers through his hair. He stared down at Minghao, and they held eye contact for a few seconds. Wonwoo tilted his head and took a deep breath in as if he were about to say something, but stopped when Junhui called out for him upstairs.

“The devil calls. I must answer.” Minghao grinned and followed him with his eyes as he went up the stairs, leaving Minghao to think about what just happened.

He stayed up late into the night with Mingyu, both sitting on Minghao’s bed talking about their life back home. Minghao recounts how Mingyu told him that he had two dogs, because he was totally a dog person, fuck cats, and a little sister that didn’t want to see him go. He thought it was sweet how Mingyu reassured her he was only a few hours away, and Minghao felt a pang of guilt creep into his chest cavity when he remembered where he came from, and he didn’t have the luxury of seeing his parents.

Mingyu asked a lot of questions but it didn’t bother Minghao, rather he found it endearing and cute that he wanted to know so much about him.

Minghao also couldn’t forget how Mingyu said he would ask Wonwoo and Junhui questions like these, but he admitted to being intimidated by them. Minghao couldn’t assure him that they were good people as he had only been living there two days more than Mingyu, but he made a personal promise to show Mingyu that they weren’t that bad.

The fourth day was when Minghao was hit with the home sickness.

He could hear Mingyu groan with his stretch as he sat up, but he couldn’t bring himself to do the same. He dove deeper into the covers, wrapping them around his body and tucking his head under, trying to get rid of the uncomforting feeling surrounding him. His stomach twisted when he realized that this would not be him home in Phoenix when he got up.

He felt Mingyu put a hand on his shoulder and shake gently, calling his name, trying to rouse the boy from his sleep, knowing he was a deep sleeper.

“Minghao?” Minghao groaned, but it sounded more like a whimper to Mingyu’s ears. “Minghao?” His voice sounded more concerned for the state of his new friend and he sat on the part of his bed that was unoccupied.

Minghao took a breath in and out, trying not to think about how shaky it sounded and how he could cry right now. He was consumed with the feeling that he wanted to be in his own bedroom, away from these people, but even in this state, he put his conscience ahead of him, and tried to embrace the help.

“Are you feeling okay?” Minghao breathed in twice through his nose, trying not to think about how that’s how his mother sounded when he was younger, tried not to think about how the warm sheets felt like Mochi curled into his stomach, how maybe if he stayed under there long enough it would reach the same temperature as home. “Hey,” Mingyu tried to gently pry the blankets away from his head. “You’re going to suffocate if you keep these around your face.”

He pulled them back just the slightest to reveal Minghao’s forehead and messy bedhead, and didn’t pry any further. “Are you in pain?” Minghao tried to shake his head, but he didn’t know how well it was received by the other boy. It seemed to have gotten the message across. “Did something upset you?” Minghao hesitated, he didn’t know how to answer this question, but, technically, yes, he was upset. He nodded. “Did someone say something? Was it a dream?” Another shake of his head, he just could not find the voice to talk. Mingyu was quiet for a second. His hand contacted Minghao’s shoulder, and as much as he wanted to push it off, it grounded him a little bit. “Do you miss home?”

Minghao didn’t answer right away. Just hearing it being said out loud was enough to reduce him to tears. He pushed the comforter into his face and tried to be as quiet as he could but knew his body was shuddering with each sob. He couldn’t help it. He had never been away from home like this before, and the overwhelming thought of being in a house with people he has yet to know better for the next 8 months made him panic. Minghao fell to a level that he never thought he would, he kept crying because he didn’t know how to stop it, but he was grateful for the company Mingyu gave him.

Mingyu kept his hand on Minghao’s shoulder, rubbing his thumb up and down in a small effort to bring him back down to earth. “It’s okay. I know how you feel, but, I’m sure at the same time I don’t. I only live a few hours down, but you’re in a whole new time zone, new climate. I know it’s hard, but I can try to help.” Minghao tried his hardest to still his sobs, which worked momentarily, but shudders were still racking throughout his body. “I’m sorry, I’m not very good at this. I’m probably not helping.”

“It’s good,” He croaked out. “Just keep talking.”

“Um,” He paused, thinking of something he could talk to that didn’t have to do with home. “I don’t have a lot to say that will make you not think of home. I can bring Wonwoo or Junhui in here, I’m sure he can talk up a storm to comfort you.” Minghao inhaled deeply. He just wanted a distraction right now, no matter who it was.

“Sure.” He whispered. He hoped Mingyu heard it, but it seems he did as he sat up with a ‘I’ll be back’ and Minghao was alone again. In those two minutes, he tried his best to not think of anything home related.

He heard his door shut after a minute or two and by now his sobs have calmed and he shook only every now and then. The bed dipped and he felt soft fingers part his hair and play with it. He didn’t ask who it was and right now he didn’t care, this felt amazing and it could definitely lull him back to sleep.

“Hey.” It was high pitched, but not so much as Minghao’s own, so it could have only been one person. “I remember my first year up here I got like this, too. I was sick for days, I didn’t want to come to school or talk to anybody, and I didn’t eat for a while. You’re doing great, though. You’re dealing with it just great. Not as bad as it could be.”

“But I’m crying. That’s so… childish.” He sniffled.

“No it’s not. It’s okay to cry, especially when you miss home. You’re doing great, trust me.” Junhui kept carding his fingers through Minghao’s hair, and it seemed to calm him down almost entirely. “You’re talking to me, which is good, and hopefully you don’t feel sick enough as to where you could throw up anywhere.”

Minghao smiled into the sheets. “Did you?”

Junhui chuckled above him. “I did.”

Minghao sighed, pushing his head back into the warmth of his hand. “I felt like that earlier.”

“What stopped it?”

“This.” He rolled his head onto the pillow entirely, letting Junhui drag his fingers and nails over his scalp whoever he could reach. Minghao sighed deeply, maybe talking and physical contact was a good solution.

“Good.” Junhui whispered. “I’m glad.”

More minutes had gone by after that, and no more words were exchanged, but the presence of Junhui’s fingers was enough to calm him completely, he felt almost as good as new.

“Uh, Mingyu is summoning me out of the room. I guess I will be back if you need me, okay?” Minghao hummed in reply, not wanting Junhui to leave but letting Mingyu do whatever he wanted to.

“Minghao, look. I was trying to find a little café with the chocolate drink that you told me you liked and I found a store that sold these instead, and I figured it was perfect.”

Minghao tried his best to sit up, and once he managed to he looked at what Mingyu was holding as he took Junhui’s place on the bed. It was a tiny, sky blue ceramic pot with a single flowering cactus inside. It warmed his heart more than he wanted to admit. He couldn’t stop the smile from blossoming on his face.

“It’s perfect. Just like Arizona.” He laughed airily, and rested his head onto Mingyu’s shoulder, taking the plant in his own hands and examining it. He could see Junhui (and Wonwoo, peeking his head over Junhui’s shoulder) in the doorway out of the corner of his eye, but said nothing and made no move.

He simply sat, stared at the expression of comfort in the form of a plant from his new friends, and appreciated it. After this, well, he was sure he had fallen back asleep on Mingyu’s shoulder.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> fuck i had something to say but i do not remember... oh well i hope you enjoyed this and i will try to update as much as i can cause i love writing and ot4 so mwah


	3. Three

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Minghao's past and Minghao's present.

On a day like this, where there was certainly not much on the agenda and it was looking like it could rain any minute, the four of them decided to stay inside, and due to the brilliance of Mingyu, they had many movies to watch. Seriously, who brings that many movies with them anywhere?

“What genre?” Mingyu asked from his closet where he was crouched over, sifting through his bag of DVDs (that he swears he’s going to get a shelf to put them on) while Minghao sat on his bed and Junhui and Wonwoo lingered. Junhui was standing over Mingyu while Wonwoo was getting comfortable on Minghao’s bed, his pillow already clutched in between both arms. “I have horror, chick flick, comedy, mystery, thriller, and so on.”

“First of all,” Junhui leaned down to pick up a case. When he tossed it over to Minghao, he saw the script of ‘Suicide Squad’. He snorted to himself and turned to Wonwoo to whisper ‘What a nerd’. Wonwoo agreed. “That one. Second of all,” He leaned down again and picked up two cases. “Why the fuck do you own these?” He showed off the cases to Minghao and Wonwoo, and Minghao erupted into a fit of giggles, falling backwards onto Wonwoo’s abdomen. Fifty Shades of Gray and Magic Mike were displayed on the covers.

“Hey!” Mingyu tried to snatch them, but Junhui backed away, cynical smile on his face, watching Mingyu get all flustered. “Give me those!” Mingyu stood and chased Junhui but quickly fell over his own two feet, too embarrassed to see where he was going. Junhui chuckled and walked over to him, Mingyu finally managed to steal back the movies. He threw them in the closet, completely missing his bag.

“Huh? Do you watch them when you’re alone?” Junhui smiled through his words, returning to his original spot behind Mingyu. Mingyu, however, was trying to conceal his embarrassment, and it wasn’t working very well. He shut the closet door and stood up, facing Mingyu with red cheeks and downcast eyes.

“So what?” He grumbled, storming out of the room and into to the bathroom next door.

Junhui made his way over to Minghao to pick up the movie again. “Let’s stay up here, it’s so uncomfortable downstairs.”

“Go where up here? There’s not much room.” Minghao retorted.

“Our room. The TV is bigger, and we can all squish together on the bed. Let’s go!” He ran down the hallway and into the room, followed by Minghao who was instructed by Wonwoo to help him get off the bed, claiming it was too comfortable.

“I don’t remember the beds being this comfy. Don’t be surprised if you wake up one morning and I’m in your bed with you.” Minghao didn’t reply, as that was his way of ignoring the swirl of his stomach.

When they got into the room, Junhui had already popped the movie in and was waiting for it to start, and Mingyu was still nowhere to be seen. Wonwoo sighed. “Jun, if you want us to all be in here Mingyu has to come, too. Go get him. You did the damage.”

Junhui huffed. “Fine. He’s fine. He can handle a little embarrassment.” He left anyway. Minghao heard a knock on the bathroom door, and then the sound of it sliding open.

“Hey, Minghao,” He turned to Wonwoo who was standing by the balcony door. “Look at those clouds down there.”

They looked ominous and approaching, but further beyond that, over the far horizon of the sea, was a bluer sky. He silently hoped the storm was just a coming and going phase, he didn’t want it to rain while he was here for too long.

Wonwoo left his side and flopped onto the bed. Minghao didn’t turn but he heard the sound of the box spring, then turned at the call of ‘Come here’.

“How are we going to do this?” Wonwoo was settling into one of the edges of the bed, leaving room for Minghao next to him.

“Well, me and you are smaller than they are, so we can squeeze together just fine to give them room. This bed is too big for just me and Jun anyway.” Minghao decided not to question that and instead just laid next to Wonwoo, hearing the bathroom door open and close again and the two of them coming in the room.

“Holy shit this is nice.” He reclined next to Wonwoo, liking the feeling of this new mattress. “This is so comfortable.” Wonwoo laughed at how blissed out Minghao seemed to be, and he only opened his eyes when Junhui told Mingyu to get in the middle with him. Minghao turned and saw Mingyu’s red and agitated eyes, but he asked no questions, simply pressed himself further against Wonwoo so he could lay down. Once he did, he relaxed back in between the two bodies, and he and Mingyu curled into each other.

He doesn’t remember much after this, only that he was woken up by Junhui yelling something at the TV and Wonwoo telling him to shut the fuck up. The warmth of the bodies and the softness of the pillow underneath his head made him drift off to sleep, and he missed half the movie but he didn’t care, he’s seen it once and he didn’t need to see it again.

He unconsciously nestled in between Wonwoo and Mingyu, and closed his eyes to shield out the brightness from the TV and from the balcony door and ended up drifting off into a dreamless sleep, arguable the best one he has had in days.

It was more comfortable than he can remember, sleeping next to people. He doesn’t know if it was the breathing or the gentle laughing or he occasional hand on his hip because the owner of said hand was trying to find a comfortable spot, but he liked it, and he didn’t want to have to go back to his own bed after.

He woke up maybe an hour later, the sky was a little darker and he felt an absence of a body on his backside, so it must have meant Wonwoo was gone, but there was still someone in front of him. There was nothing playing on the TV, it was just silent except for the occasional sniffles of the person next to him. He cracked his eyes to see who it was and shut them immediately, whoever had their phone out had it up way too bright, and he tried to groan that message across.

“Oh, you’re awake.” It was Mingyu, he hadn’t moved since Minghao had fallen asleep, but it seemed the others had left the two there. “I stayed to keep you company. They are downstairs ordering pizza.” Minghao hummed in acknowledgement. “Come on, let’s go downstairs.”

Mingyu helped pull Minghao off the bed and they trotted downstairs together, seeing the kitchen lights on and Junhui laughing at something (but what’s new).

“Hey sleepy. Glad you could make it. Pizza will be here in 10.” Wonwoo turned around from the counter to eye up Minghao as he sat next to Mingyu on the bar stools.

“Sorry, I didn’t think I would fall asleep.” He ran his hand through his hair and rubbed his eyes, knowing that he won’t be sleeping tonight.

“It’s fine, good to know you were comfortable.” Mingyu took his attention away from Wonwoo after that, showing him something on Instagram and listening as Wonwoo took the pizza from the delivery guy and placing it on the dining table, calling them all out.

He woke up a little more after dinner. The loud chatter and loud cackles coming from Junhui’s end put his nerves in alert, and by the time he finished his last slice he was not tired anymore. He would have been fine with this, but everyone else was starting to get drowsy, and he was the only one awake.

The sound of Mingyu’s breathing didn’t end up lulling him to sleep after all, and he laid awake pondering over what could possibly put him to sleep and nothing came to mind. He dragged himself out of bed, the house was quiet and all he could ear were crickets and if he tried, the occasional shout of a person who stayed up way too late outside, and headed downstairs. He turned the corner to go into the kitchen and noticed the light of the laptop screen in Wonwoo’s face, wondering why he was up so late while Junhui was actually asleep and not making noise.

He didn’t bother asking, instead just flicked on the light over the kitchen sink and poured a glass of water, drinking it all immediately. He heard Wonwoo grunt as he pulled himself off the couch and listened to his delicate footsteps approach him. He gently nodded his head in greeting and Wonwoo came closer and leaned over the sink with Minghao.

Wonwoo didn’t say anything for a moment, so Minghao let his eyes roam over his bare back, the muscles bulging near his shoulder blades and his biceps, and only pulled his eyes away when he turned his head to look at Minghao.

“Why are you up so late?” It wasn’t asked unkindly, instead he was just seemingly curious.

“Why are you up so late?”

“I asked you first.” His eyes looked tired but he was sure that if he really was tired, he would be asleep.

“I couldn’t sleep.” They were both speaking quietly, neither of them were inclined to try to talk louder.

Wonwoo looked at him before replying. “I’m a writer. I don’t think I told you. I was editing one of my chapters. I only do it so late because it’s how the mindset of the narrator works, so, I have to put myself into that mindset, too.”

Minghao tried to think of something to say but no words came out, so he ducked his head and stared at nothing in particular. Wonwoo turned back to the living room and Minghao thought he was just going to leave him there, but he returned a second later with a white t shirt that looked a little too loose fitting for him.

“Let’s go for a walk.”

“Walk? It’s like, 1 AM.”

“Yeah, the beach is usually empty at this time.” Wonwoo was already heading to the door to slip his shoes on, and Minghao said fuck it, and followed suit.

The air was refreshing against his heated skin, the wind was blowing but it wasn’t a cold wind, it was a comfortable wind that felt good on his face. They didn’t say much on the walk there, rather, Minghao was staring at the houses, occasionally trying to see in when lights were on, and looking up at the sky, breathing in the smell of sea salt as they drew closer to the shore.

“Do you usually have trouble sleeping?” Wonwoo broke the silence.

Minghao shook his head. “I think it was only because I fell asleep earlier.”

“You were only sleeping for an hour though.” Wonwoo turned his head to look at Minghao and he did the same, watching pieces of hair flit across Wonwoo’s forehead as they were being pushed with the wind.

Minghao shrugged. “I don’t know, I guess I’m still getting used to it. It’s… different.” He bit the inside of his cheek, wanting to say more but knowing the conversation wasn’t in the right spot. Wonwoo looks over again but Minghao doesn’t follow suit, instead focuses on the path ahead.

“Anything you want to talk about?” He wasn’t pushing it, and he wanted to let Minghao know that he could confide in him.

“I… don’t really know how to start.” They remained quiet for the remainder of the walk. It was dark, and the only thing Minghao could see were the street lamps and the moon in the distance. Wonwoo put his hand over his forearm to guide him over a curb and they sat on a ledge. Minghao soon realized that they were already at the beach. “Holy shit.”

“I know.” At night, it was a surreal feeling. The beach was incredibly long, it seemed like the shore went on forever. There was the sound of the waves crashing against the shore, and Minghao felt like a little kid, seeing all of this for the first time. The smell was salty but refreshing, cleansing his lungs of the air that was inside the house. Breathing fresh air after a while brought tears to his eyes.

“I’ve never been to the beach.” He whispered. He could see Wonwoo turn to him again.

“Really?” He spoke in the same volume. Minghao nodded.

“We lived too far away, and close by to a lot of neighbors with pools. So, my parents never found a reason to go.” Minghao looked down at the sand that he could barely make out due to the darkness, and he suddenly realized how little he had experienced compared to his roommates, just judging by the fact that he had never been to a beach.

Wonwoo hopped down from the small ledge into the sand. “Come on.” Minghao hopped after him. “Take your shoes off. It feels good.” Minghao slowly followed instructions and places each cautious foot into the warm sand. He gasped a little when he first made contact, not expecting the tingly feeling that the sand left on the soles of his feet. He wiggled his toes and felt the cool bits sneak in between them, making a laugh bubble up from his chest. Wonwoo put his hand on Minghao’s wrist and tugged his forward, urging him to step forward.

He took cautious baby steps like the ground was going to collapse any second, feeling off balance by the odd hills of sand in certain places, but Wonwoo’s hand stayed steady, and supported him even though he knew he would never lose balance. He kept giggling at the tickling sensation and wanted to take huge strides, but he let Wonwoo guide him on slowly.

“This is crazy. It’s so soft!” He spoke through his smiles and laughs, and Wonwoo couldn’t fight the smile on his face either. They got close to the water but not close enough to where they were wet, just close enough that the sound of the breaking waves was amplified.

They sat on the sand, Minghao leaning on Wonwoo as the drowsiness set in.

“I’ve never had friends that would do something this fun with me.” Minghao put his head on Wonwoo’s shoulder.

“Now you do.” Minghao hummed, closing his eyes and listening to the waves. “Hopefully we are just more than friends you can do crazy shit with.”

“Of course. But for now, you serve as my guide to take me to the beach for my first time.” They sat there, not saying much but not thinking about much either. Minghao stifled a giggle. “Weird question.”

“I love those.”

“Okay, so like, the thought just popped into my head, it’s not like I was thinking about it or anything but, like, are you a virgin? Like I said, just a random question.”

Wonwoo laughed. “If you’re trying to get with me, just say so. I won’t turn you down.”

Minghao was too flustered to realize the implement of the statement. “No, no. Listen. It was just a question.” He removed his head from Wonwoo’s shoulder but kept looking straight forward.

“I’m just kidding. To answer that ‘random question’ though, no, I’m not.” Minghao bit his tongue, thinking of what to say.

“For how long?”

“Um,” Wonwoo thought. “Four years.” Minghao nodded, not really knowing what to say. “You?”

Minghao looked down, the sand he could see between his legs was still, though the wind was still blowing lightly. “I am. A virgin.”

Wonwoo nudged him with his shoulder. “It’s nothing to be ashamed of. It’s okay to wait.”

“No,” He looked back up to the dark sky, trying to find a way to explain it without sounding like he was even a little desperate. “It’s not that. I was just… not everyone’s favorite person? Like, I had friends and stuff but… as hard as I tried to, I don’t know, come off as appealing it never worked.” He returned his gaze to his hands in his lap. “I guess, now that I think about it, I didn’t have many friends. Sucks. The one fried I thought I would have for a long time did something to fuck me over and, that was that, basically.”

“What did he do? If I can ask.”

The corner of Minghao’s mouth twitched into a smile. “It was a girl. Literally the only girl friend I ever had. I… to be honest I don’t know what I did exactly that set her off but, all I knew was one day everyone hated me because,” He licked his lips, trying hard not to get angry at the purposely suppressed memory. “She apparently told her friends, and her friends told their friends that I tried to force her into doing things.” He laughed, a short and self-deprecating one. “I’ve never even been in the same room as her alone.”

Minghao stopped talking, he didn’t have anything to say but also because he didn’t want to bring up things he tried so hard to forget, to forget that at one point his life was at an all-time low.

“I… can’t really say I relate but, if it makes you feel any better, Junhui was the first person that was a real friend to me. Everyone knew my family had money growing up, so it sucks to see people you want to genuinely get to know surround you because you dress nice, and because you have everything.” Minghao shivered, a sudden chill running up his spine although he was not cold a few minutes earlier. “Jun overlooked literally all of that, he didn’t even know how I was. I still remember the first words he said to me, he said, ‘My ex is right over there and I don’t want to seem sad and lonely, can I please hold your hand’. Cliché, and really overused, but it worked, and we just kind of became friends after that.”

Minghao had a hint of a smile on his face, and he airily laughed at the story. It seemed like something Junhui would definitely do.

“I can promise now, speaking for me and Junhui, though, we won’t fuck you over. Because now more than ever, it’s always good having someone you can fully trust.”

They didn’t decide to leave until twenty minutes later, Minghao dipped his toe into the cold waters but laughing the whole time.

A thought crossed his mind that was a little uncomforting for the moment. He caught himself staring at Wonwoo longer each time, and every single time, he found something different that was intriguing about the boy. The way his nose scrunched when he laughed, and how the corners of his lips curled up ever so slightly, his brilliant smile when anything was worthy enough to earn it.

He hated to admit it to himself because he felt like a middle schooler, but crushes still exist and he was worried that he might have one. It was hard not to, Wonwoo was so genuine and waited patiently for Minghao to get it all out, even if it took him forever to form he words. His heart grew a size every time they made eye contact, but Minghao couldn’t bring himself to mind that feeling.

 The walk back was silent, but a peaceful silent, and when he returned to his room and Wonwoo to his own, he could sleep well this time.

“Where did you go?” Mingyu groggily asked from the bed beside his.

Minghao sighed, staring dreamily at the ceiling. “I went to the beach for the first time.”

Mingyu hummed. “We’ll go later this week. It’s better in the day time.”

And when Minghao woke up and brought himself downstairs the next morning to see Junhui and Mingyu chatting about something and Wonwoo standing shirtless in the kitchen with no shirt, low-slung gray sweatpants and the waist band of his boxers peeking out, he realized Mingyu was right. It is better in the day time.


	4. Four

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Minghao finds out shit about his roommate, and himself.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry for the few days off i was a little busy, and next chapter will be a little longer, introducing someone new to the plot :3

Minghao had revelations. Specifically, ones about his roommates.

On that day after he went to the beach after midnight with Wonwoo, he came to the thundering conclusion that he had a crush on him, like he was in fucking high school again. Every time he came down into the kitchen or the living room, Wonwoo was either on his laptop or he was standing in the kitchen doing god knows what, Minghao never really bothers to look, it got worse each day.

Not the crush itself, more like the knowledge that he would have to be around Wonwoo everyday for the next however many months of school there are, and he was almost sure that there was no way to avoid him. So, he did what any logical person would do in a situation like this, he asked for help.

Granted, Mingyu doesn’t seem to give the best advice, but he didn’t want to go to Junhui in fear that he would tell Wonwoo, and in the fear that the two were secretly dating. It was reasonable. He couldn’t go to Wonwoo, because, well, who has the courage to just admit their crush upfront when they aren’t even sure it’s a crush?

He had spent two days and one night mulling over the possibility, and decided that yes, it was most likely a crush, and he needed to talk to someone about it.

So, he and Mingyu were in their shared room, both sitting at respective ends of the L shaped desk when Minghao gathered the courage to turn and just ask him about it.

“Hey Mingyu,” The other boy turned at the call of his name. “Do you think Wonwoo and Junhui are a thing?”

Well, he never said where exactly he would start.

Mingyu thought this over for a moment. “I don’t know to be honest. I have seen them act very close, but, they don’t really do couple things.”

“Well, maybe they are trying to hide it? They sleep in the same bed after all, and Wonwoo claims they are very close.”

“I don’t think that means too much, friends can be really close and share a bed, doesn’t necessarily mean they are dating.”

Minghao shrugged. If Mingyu doesn’t think they are, then he won’t push it. “Well, I- you see, I wanted to ask cause, I would feel guilty about this if he was already taken, but, I kinda realized that… I think I might like Wonwoo? Like… in a crush kind of way.” He inhaled sharply, feeling embarrassed at saying the word crush out loud, but also because Mingyu seemed to still slightly at this news.

“You… like Wonwoo?”

“Well, I just sort of realized recently. But it’s a weird feeling I get around him. And it’s not a bad one, so, I think that I like him.”

“Well… I don’t think there is anything between them two so… you can give it a shot. You would look good together.”

“You think so?” Mingyu, instead of answering directly, turned around in his chair to face his laptop again.

“Yeah.” He kept his head down as he read the screen, and Minghao tilted his head, watching his friend closely.

“Is… everything alright? Did I say something?” Mingyu shook his head to himself, and didn’t answer for a few seconds.

“Yeah, I’m fine.” Minghao didn’t respond, instead watched how Mingyu tried to pretend the conversation was over and went to typing on his keyboard, but what, Minghao didn’t ask. He watched for a while more until he swiveled back around, facing his own screen.

He was about to get up to go downstairs to suggest dinner ideas when Mingyu spoke up.

“I think you should ask. About them dating, I mean.” Mingyu didn’t look at him, but instead turned his head slightly so Minghao knew he was talking to him.

“Maybe.” He got up from his chair and walked out of the door, the air in their room seemed stuffier than he remembered. He made a mental reminder to open the window later.

He walked into the kitchen to see someone rummaging through the fridge with no shirt on, and he panicked for a minute and was about to turn around and go hide in the bathroom or something because God, he could not take it if he had to see Wonwoo without clothes on one more time, but was equally shocked to see Junhui instead.

His back muscles seemed much more defined than Wonwoo’s did, and he noticed a small crest-like tattoo up by his neck, right on his spine. Junhui turned, watching Minghao curiously eye him up like he hadn’t even noticed he had turned around.

“If you’re wanted to stare, you could have just asked.” Junhui raised an eyebrow at Minghao who just stood motionless, and Wonwoo rounded the corner form the living room into the kitchen to scope the scene. He was standing there, bemusedly watching Minghao gape at Junhui. Junhui’s eyes flickered to Wonwoo, quirking his brow again, and Minghao turned and, to his horror, saw Wonwoo standing there.

“No, no… I just came down to, to see what… I- I was going to…” He sighed, feeling embarrassed that he was so flustered he couldn’t even procure a sentence. “Dinner ideas.”

Junhui laughed at him, setting the drink he received from the fridge on the island countertop. “No idea. Mingyu can cook, can’t he? Get him down here.” He directed towards Minghao, but he hesitated.

“Uh, I don’t really know if he wants to see me again, he was acting weird when I was up there. Someone else should get him.” Minghao looked between Wonwoo and Junhui, who were exchanging glances, before Junhui nodded his head in the direction of the staircase, and Wonwoo rolled his eyes, and marched up.

“What was up with him?” Junhui asked Minghao once Wonwoo left. Minghao used all the strength in his body to not look at Junhui’s body. Minghao shrugged.

“I don’t know, I just-” He was about to say, ‘told him I liked Wonwoo’, but he wasn’t sure how well that would go over. He resorted to just asking and get it out of the way. “I was just asking him if he thought… You, and Wonwoo were like, a thing.” Junhui stared at him, there was no fluctuation in his appearance, like he thought it was cute that Minghao would ask such a thing.

Minghao shook his head when he thought it was too long to get an answer, but Junhui stood straight and turned to him. “Do you think we are dating?” He spoke hushed, like they were gossiping about Wonwoo and he was right around the corner.

Minghao blinked, unsure of how to answer. “Well, it just kind of seems like it, sometimes.”

Junhui nodded at his answer. “If you want to know, we aren’t dating.” Minghao suddenly felt a lot better about liking Wonwoo. “But,” Never mind. “We are very close, and… open.”

“Like… with your feelings?” Junhui smirked at his innocent answer. “That, too, but, more like, open… in a way that we like to try new things. Bring in new people.”

Minghao’s mind was running, and he stared with his lips parted, and nothing clean and concise was coming to mind. “What…?”

“It’s like a relationship, without the romantic ties to each other. Friends-”

“With benefits.”

“Kind of.”

“What do you mean by being open then?”

Junhui just smirked more, not moving from his spot. “I don’t know, but I do know that you’ll find out eventually.”

Minghao tilted his head, blinking rapidly in confusion. He was about to ask for a clearer answer when Wonwoo paraded down the stairs with Mingyu in tow, not looking at Minghao still. His cheeks looked a little pink like Wonwoo had a talk with him that was embarrassing, but he didn’t pry, not now at least.

“You can cook, can’t you?” Junhui looked toward Mingyu, and Minghao just pulled the stool from underneath the counter and sat there, not looking at anyone.

“Sure. Anything in particular?” Mingyu’s voice was low, not totally blue but not as loud as it usually is. His voice was directed toward Junhui, Minghao figured whatever caused him to be like this was his fault.

“Not really. I was just wondering if you could. Can you figure it out? Unfortunately, I am not much of a help in the kitchen.” Junhui gave a shy grin.

“Yeah, give him a spoon to stir something and everything will be up in flames.” Wonwoo chimed in. Minghao looked up. “You can’t toast to save your life.”

“It was one time, god damnit! It was an accident!” Junhui stood in a defensive position, pointing and accusing finger at Wonwoo. “Don’t talk about it.” Junhui put his arm down and made a face at Wonwoo, which the other only laughed at. “You forgot to put water in those little mac and cheese cups when you put it in the microwave.” Wonwoo was about to fire back, but Mingyu interrupted.

“Okay, I get it, you both shouldn’t help me, I got this.” Mingyu stalked past them both and opened the fridge, Minghao retired to sit on the porch to watch the upcoming sunset.

He sat on the chair by the window, watching the front yard and the occasional car drive by. The yard was cute, it had colorful flowers and white edging that complimented the accent color of the house, a typical white picket fence at the end. Tall bushes were on the right side, blocking the view of the next house, and he could see the left side house about 25 feet away. He has yet to see the million dollar houses Wonwoo told him about on the first day.

A few minutes go by and he still hasn’t gotten up from his spot. He hears the porch door open, but he doesn’t turn around to see who it is. He figured he would find out in a minute.

“He doesn’t know.” It was Wonwoo, but he wasn’t coming closer to him, rather, he was standing on the side of the house, Minghao was shielded from view. He was about to get up when he heard Junhui’s voice.

“Well, he’s going to sooner or later. You know how much awkward tension this will create?” He was speaking quietly, like the screen door was open and someone would come outside any moment.

“Yes, but we can’t expose him like that. Minghao will find out eventually, and maybe sooner or later Mingyu will tell him himself. Maybe it’s mutual.”

“But he shouldn’t, it’s easier to persuade them individually than as a couple.” Minghao shook his head and stood, the floor under him creaked, and the talking silenced. He rounded the corner and came straight into Wonwoo and Junhui, mouth open, ready to interrogate.

“Where did you come from?” Junhui looked genuinely confused, whereas Wonwoo looked guilty.

“What did you say? Mingyu likes me?” He wanted to scream out of frustration, but he managed to keep his cool, and not say anything too loud.

“Minghao, you weren’t supposed to find out.” Wonwoo was gently trying to keep him from getting mad.

“Why didn’t he say anything then?”

“Do you know how stressful it is to tell someone you like them when you live with them? Can you blame him?” Minghao stayed quiet. He knew exactly what he meant, he was guilty of it himself. He sympathized suddenly, and he realized what it must be like to be around him constantly, they live in the same room for fucks sake. He sighed.

“Don’t say anything, Minghao. Don’t make it hard on him.” Wonwoo consoled with him softly.

Minghao pouted mockingly. “I’m the youngest one, it should be the other way around.” He then yelped when he got a slap to the back of the head by Junhui. “That hurt! You don’t know your own strength apparently.” He huffed and walked inside, watching Mingyu’s back as held something up to taste test it. He wanted to stay, but decided against it and retreated to the bedroom.

It was close to 10 by the time he got back upstairs after dinner. He never got to watch the sunset he realized, but he didn’t do much about it. He laid in bed, his eyes already closing and his heart rate slowing when he heard Mingyu come in and shut the door behind him. He made no move to look at him, he figured he didn’t need to see to know he was getting ready for bed.

He thought about it for a moment, how could Mingyu like him already? He has only known him for about a week, he didn’t know how he could already conclude he liked him. He stopped that thought before it even occurred, he was in the same situation! Oh, Minghao, how could you be so stupid? He closed his eyes, and willed those thoughts away.

He was pressed against a wall suddenly; he didn’t recognize the room he was in though. His eyes closed on him involuntarily, he couldn’t open them even if he tried. He felt something- someone- warm press against him, and he was pushed closer to the wall behind him. There were hands on his biceps, they were slowly trailing down to his forearms and instead of stilling there, they gripped his wrists and put them onto the body in front of him.

He was shirtless, Minghao could tell from when his hands encountered bare muscular shoulders and a smooth, firm chest. One hand stayed on their shoulder while the other went lower, against his own will, his hand was on this person’s abdomen. There were well sculpted ab muscles, not too much, but just enough so his stomach was slim and he was kept looking petite, ironically just how Minghao liked it.

The hand on his stomach rounded to his back, feeling the large expanse of silky skin, each ridge and curve of a new muscle made Minghao press even closer to him. The hand that was on his shoulder trailed up his neck and threaded into his hair, it was clean and soft and untangled, Minghao experimentally gripped and pulled, and was met with another force backwards. He breathed out in exasperation.

Minghao left his hand in this person’s hair, the other hand resting on their shoulder blade, and he was about to make a move when a pair of soft lips on his neck froze him in place. He still couldn’t open his eyes, so he stood there and let the warmth flood his skin, knees becoming weak and mouth falling open slightly. They moved up his neck, nipping at the tender skin under his jaw and ear. Featherlight kisses and bites had Minghao weak, and he desperately held the person closer in attempt to stable himself.

He exhaled in pleasure, trying to interlock his legs with the other person’s in need for friction, but they pulled away at the last second. Minghao sighed and tried to look at them, but hands in his hair pulled his head sideways and their lips were back against the shell of his ear.

“What do you want?” His voice was husky, slightly familiar but Minghao didn’t care about who it was, he just needed him.

“You,” Minghao said airily.

“Yeah?” He practically growling, and Minghao whimpered and his head was whipped back to face the person. “Kiss me.” His eyes opened a second before they came in closer to capture Minghao’s mouth with his own, and he saw who was the perpetrator, the man of many conflicting emotions.

Junhui.

He gasped and his eyes flew open. His head didn’t leave the pillow, but his heart was beating at many miles per minute.

He just had a borderline wet dream about Junhui. There were so many thoughts racing around his head, like how he did think that Junhui was attractive, but he never realized it until now, how he was having a breakdown thinking about how he was going to act around him from now on, and how he could get rid of the boner he had without getting up or making noise.

He tried to shift but the rubbing of his underwear and shorts constricted it, and every little touch made him groan. He was unbelievably hard, and he didn’t know what to do about it. He couldn’t get up, he felt like he was strapped to the bed, the only other choice was to think it away, or quickly rub one out.

He closed his eyes. Thinking it away wasn’t even an option, he was so hard that anything could get him off, if he neglected it, it would never go away. He turned to look at Mingyu’s side of the bed, the boy was sleeping peacefully with what looked like no intent of waking up.

“If you fuck this up for yourself,” He spoke into thin air, a message to be received by no one other than himself. “I’ll never forgive you.”

He tired as best as possible to wiggle the waistline of both his shorts and boxers over his hard on without creating any friction, and for the most part, it worked. He felt freer without the restraints of the fabric.

He brought his hand up to his face and placed his palm on his cheek to see if his hand was cold. It was, but he didn’t honestly give a fuck, he just knew it would feel good. When his hand wrapped around his dick he hissed, the cold of his hand felt refreshing against the heat of his erection. He put his other hand over his mouth, biting on the skin between his hand and wrist to try and minimize the noise production.

He finished eventually, coming into his shirt and balling it up, throwing it on the floor to be dealt with later.  He sighed at himself. He just jerked off to his roommate. None the less, the roommate that was suggestively hinting at him earlier, so he’s not entirely at fault here. He shook his head at himself. How was he going to face him? How would he walk around him knowing that he touched himself to his face?

Granted, it was just a dream, but it didn’t seem that farfetched. Anything could happen in the time that he is here, and it doesn’t seem like Junhui was that far off the bullseye.

Minghao had another revelation that night. Specifically, one about another one of his roommates. He had a crush on Wonwoo, yes, but now he also had a crush on Junhui.


	5. Five

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Minghao meets the new guy who tells him something that makes Minghao realize just how fucked- and gay- he is.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry this is shorter than usual and its kind of shitty and sorry for a late update i was really busy im sorry i will try more i'm kind of running out of ideas i am trying i priomse,...

“Good news, boys.” Wonwoo sauntered into the room with Junhui hot on his trail. Minghao clenched his thighs upon noticing him. “The room upstairs has been officially rented out. We have maxed out the people living here.”

Mingyu groaned from his seat next to Minghao. “Another person?”

“He’s chill, I swear, you guys will like him. He’s really lowkey, he’s got a good sense of humor, it will be cool. I’ve known him for a while and you will like him.” Wonwoo threw himself down next to Minghao. He couldn’t look up to meet his eyes, but he still felt his stare.

“When’s he coming?” Mingyu asked.

“Um,” Wonwoo opened his phone, and Minghao decided to look on as a scapegoat from facing his problems. “Sometime today. We just finished up payment and shit last night, and he said he’s close by because he had all of his stuff in the campus dorms. Thank god I ran into him a few days ago and saved his ass from having to live there.”

Minghao groaned again, earning the attention of everyone. He almost stuttered. “So I have to deal with another person?”

“Minghao, he’s cool, I swear.” He put his hand on Minghao’s thigh, he almost jumped at the contact. “You’ll like him.”

“What’s he look like?” Mingyu leaned onto Minghao’s shoulder, and his skin felt hot where his head was. This feeling concerned him greatly. “I want to know before I see some random dude in the house later.”

They both watched as Wonwoo pulled out his phone and went onto Instagram. Minghao was reminded of his first day, where he and Wonwoo and Junhui did this to find Mingyu. He remembered Wonwoo’s broad smile when Junhui said something funny, and he remembered thinking who he had to kill to get teeth that straight. He remembers how Junhui leaned on the table and how it accentuated his muscle. He remembers Junhui’s bright smile and how his eyes lit up when he was introduced as his soon to be roommate. Minghao’s chest got tight remembering the way he looked at him.

“Here.” Minghao was zoning so hard he didn’t see Wonwoo go through his phone to get a picture, but his eyes followed his phone as it was passed to Mingyu, and he turned in that direction to get a better look. His Instagram page was very… aesthetic, for a lack of better words. The theme was a color gradient, each picture slowly shifting the color of the theme, it was clever, Minghao knows he could never pull that off. Mingyu clicked on one picture of him, clearly a candid, he saw his round glasses (That looked fake, and were, per the caption) and a hat that sat higher on his head, revealing his brown, wavy hair, which was eyebrow length.

“He looks young.” Mingyu swiped left and back to his page, clicking on another picture of him standing next to a drag queen with a drink in his hand. He looked very small next to her, and even though she was wearing heels, she still had a good foot on him. “How tall is he?”

Wonwoo laughed next to him and leaned on Minghao to get better access to the phone. They were still studying the picture of him and the drag queen. Junhui stood from his seat and moved to be in front of them, peering over their heads to see better. “Yes, he’s short, and he’s older than you. Only by a year, but don’t mistake him for being younger. He will probably punch you in the balls.” Minghao snorted in laughter next to them.

“Will he hurt me just for being tall in general? I can’t ask him questions like, ‘What’s the weather like down there?’”

“Mingyu, that question is used for tall people, not short people.” Minghao heard Jun’s voice from above them.

“Whatever! Do I need to walk on thin ice around him?” Mingyu passed back Wonwoo’s phone.

Minghao felt Wonwoo shrug. “I don’t know. We will have to find out.” Mingyu grumbled in response. Minghao laughed at him and dropped his head onto Mingyu’s shoulder, not saying anything, but rather listening to Wonwoo and Junhui talk about this new person. He sighed. He felt oddly sleepy but not tired, so he closed his eyes, letting the chatter of the people beside him lull him to sleep.

But he didn’t sleep, he couldn’t sleep, not when Mingyu had his (large) hand on his thigh, and his thumb was smoothing over the surface of his jeans. He didn’t know if this was on purpose or involuntary, but it was distracting enough. His hand splayed over his thigh, and while it was comfortable, it shocked him as he noticed that it wasn’t a sensation he wanted to stop. He buried his head deeper into the crook of Mingyu’s neck, liking how smooth the skin felt on his face. Mingyu smelled fresh, and honestly, Minghao couldn’t get enough, until, of course, he had to get up.

It was a few hours later that Wonwoo announced that this new person would be on the way. Only then did Minghao realize they didn’t know his name.

Mingyu went upstairs to change clothes and Minghao followed him with his eyes. He turned back around to the countertop and saw Junhui staring at him, both eyebrows slightly raised. Minghao ignores this, and turns back to looking at the entryway.

Wonwoo opens the door for him, and what he sees throws him off course. He did not expect this.

In walks a short, cute (dare he say it), kid with a white shirt and ripped light wash jeans, two suitcases behind him and a bag on his back. Minghao stood, approaching the boy. When he is noticed, he nods his head and extends his hand.

“Hey man, welcome. I’m Minghao.” The boy offered a warm smile and a firm handshake back.

“Jihoon, glad as ever to be here.” The sarcasm was hinted at, but not in a harmful manner. Jihoon looked to Wonwoo. “Mind helping me break it all in?”

Wonwoo laughed and took his stuff upstairs while Jihoon introduced himself to Junhui and chatted with him for a moment. Minghao heard footsteps going both ways on the stairs and looked to see Mingyu coming down, and when Jihoon turned to come face to face with Mingyu, Minghao and Junhui both had to suppress their laugher.

Mingyu had almost a foot on Jihoon, it was kind of hilarious. Jihoon slowly lifted his head from staring at the spot on his chest to meet his eyes, where Mingyu had to look down.

Minghao tried to hide his grin but failed when he saw Junhui laughing into the collar of his shirt. He heard Jihoon sigh, and he looked into Mingyu’s eyes.

“So. You live here too?” He was obviously very fed up already with Mingyu, only because he was taller than him. Minghao couldn’t help the laugh that slipped out.

Mingyu couldn’t either, apparently. “Uh, yeah. I do. I’m Mingyu.” Mingyu took a step back so as not to strain his neck, and probably Jihoon’s too.

“Jihoon.” He sighed again. He looked Mingyu over once more, and followed Wonwoo up the stairs. As soon as he was out of sight, Minghao and Junhui both lost it, they leaned against each other and just laughed, and Mingyu couldn’t help but to laugh, too.

“Dude, you’re like, a fucking giant.” Junhui choked out, and it only made Minghao laugh more.

“I’m sorry that I can’t control how tall I am!” Mingyu gasped through soft chuckles.

Eventually, probably only a few minutes later, Wonwoo came back down the stairs, but he was alone. Minghao assumed Jihoon did not want to be in the same room as them anymore. “Okay… what?”

“Wonwoo, you missed it all.” Junhui stepped over to Wonwoo and wrapped an arm around his shoulders, and with his opposite hand he patted Mingyu’s shoulder. “This kid like towers over Jihoon.”

Wonwoo broke into a smile also, and when Minghao thought he was going to scold Junhui for laughing, he only laughed, too. “Damn, I missed that?”

“Yes!” Junhui shook Wonwoo’s shoulder once before heading upstairs, and upon hearing the door of their room shut, Minghao figured he wasn’t going to come back out any time soon.

Later that night he was laying in his bed, phone in one hand and the other propped under his head. He was scrolling through his Instagram feed, clicking out and switching to another social media app before giving up on trying to find entertainment, and just laid there, staring at the ceiling, hoping it would entertain him.

He got up from his bed quickly, then had to brace himself as his vision went black as he got up too fast. After he embarrassingly was able to pass that little moment, he walked out of his room and into the hallway. He heard voices from downstairs laughing, but he couldn’t find energy to go down and converse with them. As he was rounding the corner, he crashed into a body, and it made him freeze momentarily.

He came in contact with someone wet and shirtless, someone who obviously hadn’t been downstairs. He moved his eyes up slowly, discreetly taking in the body of whoever was standing here, praying to God it wasn’t Junhui. He quickly discovered it wasn’t when he had to crane his neck further than he would with Junhui.

“Sorry, uh, you’re all wet now.” Mingyu seemed apologetic, but it was Minghao that crashed into him, not the other way around. Minghao’s face heated up, though he didn’t know why, and he backed up a slight bit.

“No, no, I ran into you, I’m sorry.” Minghao tried his best to keep his attention focused on Mingyu, but it was hard to see his eyes through his wet hair over his forehead, so he opted to stare at his septum ring, at least so his eyes don’t wander downward.

“I should have heard you coming!” Mingyu grinned a little, flicking his hair back onto the top of his head, droplets of water splashing Minghao’s face.

“Don’t worry about it Gyu, it’s not a big deal.” He moved out of the way to let Mingyu by, who shyly smiled at him and ducked his head as he walked by into the shared room. He sighed at himself. ‘Gyu’? That was a new one.

He advanced to go into the bathroom, which was his previous destination, when a figure on the staircase stopped him. It was Jihoon, and he was just oddly standing there.

“Um,” Minghao could not find the words to say, luckily, Jihoon spoke first.

“What the hell was that about?” He was very blunt, much like Wonwoo entailed.

“Well, I ran into him as I was coming from my room and-”

“Not that. Why the hell were you two standing there for like a full minute so awkwardly while you were clearly checking him out?”

Minghao nearly choked. “I- I was not.”

“Yeah, sure.” Jihoon didn’t sound accusing, rather, amused at the situation. “It’s going to be fun watching you two like lovesick puppies just dancing around each other.”

“What? No… it’s not like that.” Minghao tried hard to stand up for himself, but it didn’t seem to be working as Jihoon only raised an eyebrow and smirked at Minghao.

“I won’t make you admit it, but one day you will.” They both stood there even as they heard Minghao’s door open and close again, and footsteps. Mingyu eventually resurfaced, flashing an embarrassed smile at Jihoon, while the older only raised an eyebrow as greeting. Minghao’s eyes followed Mingyu as he went down the stairs, and saw as his hand pushed his damp hair back on to his forehead, and tried really hard not to prove Jihoon’s point. “Honestly. Wear sunglasses if you don’t want to make it obvious you’re staring.” Jihoon flashed him one last smile before he disappeared into his room, and Minghao just stood there, not even moving into the bathroom.

He came to the life crushing realization that he had a crush on nearly everyone he lived with. (He also hoped Jihoon would not join that bandwagon. He wasn’t Minghao’s type, but he didn’t want to have to deal with having four crushes at once).


	6. Six

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Minghao sees things he wasn't supposed to.

Mingyu stormed in and threw his bag on the chair and sat next to Minghao. He had his head in his hands and Junhui stopped what he was doing at the counter to just stare at him.

“I lost my wallet.”

“What?” Minghao spoke. He was never one to easily misplace things, so he was having a hard time fathoming how Mingyu could lose something so important.

“I know okay, I’m an idiot. I just set it down somewhere and I forgot to pick it back up. All my money is in there. Ugh.” Mingyu dropped his head again and Minghao was worried for a second that he would hurt himself.

“Well, you have your address and shit on your license. If they want to send it back or something they can do that.” Junhui jumped into the conversation.

“It’s my parents address on there, though. That’s so embarrassing.”

“You’re an idiot.” Jihoon sauntered in.

“I know, okay?! I was having a shitty day as it was, and this isn’t making it any better.”

Junhui sighed sympathetically. “Come bake with me. Here, cut these.” He handed Mingyu apples while he was rounding the counter. “Want to talk about it?” Junhui turned around to do something that Minghao wasn’t paying attention to. Jihoon took Mingyu’s previous spot.

“I went to go buy new shoes because I needed new ones and then as I was paying for them my debit card got declined which was amazing, seeing how that means I spent all of my money already or the bank needs to get it’s shit together. So, I had to use credit and I don’t like to use credit, I only use it for really big purchases and a pair of sneakers is not a big purchase so, there’s that. And then I lost my wallet.”

Junhui laughed besides him. “I’m sorry for laughing, but, that seems shitty. Where do you think you lost your wallet?”

Mingyu shrugged. “The last place I went was the garden place that I got Minghao’s cactus at.” His voice softened, and Minghao saw how his cheeks were a little rosy. Mingyu kept his head down, focusing on the apples.

“Why were you there?” Minghao interrogated.

Mingyu shrugged. “I wanted some of those succulent hanging plants in the little glass orbs. They didn’t have them though, so I left. But that’s the last place I went.”

“Did you sort through your bag for any reason while you were there?” Jihoon asked.

Mingyu sighed again. “No, I don’t think so. I put it in my pocket after I bought the shoes so it might have fallen out. Ugh.”

“Stop breathing on the apples we need those.” Mingyu glared at Junhui who spoke up next to him, and Minghao grinned. Jun nudged Mingyu. “It will get back to you eventually. Maybe you just misplaced it. Maybe it’s still in your bag.”

“I don’t know, I checked everywhere. All my stuff was in there.” He pouted, and Junhui looked over at him with an unreadable expression to Minghao, his eyes were shining, though.

“It will turn up. Don’t worry.” Jun was soft spoken, but it made Mingyu stand straighter, and the pout to retract slightly.

It was quiet for the next few minutes. Mingyu was cutting apples and Junhui was assembling a pie crust, occasionally asking for Mingyu’s help. Minghao was scrolling through his media feeds, getting bored every now and then and resorting to watching them bake. Jihoon, well, he was doing his own thing, whatever that was. Minghao didn’t care to check.

Minghao looked up at Jun. His hair was not styled but he had it clipped back, it looked silly, but Minghao couldn’t complain as his forehead was a nice sight. He would grin slightly when Mingyu made a little mistake, cheering him up and returning to his own task. The muscle tee he had on made Minghao feel many different emotions at once, so he tried to keep his eyes above or below that. He rested his head on his hand and just stared. At his hands working their magic on the crust, and his face, noticing how his tongue would dart out when he concentrated, at things he hadn’t noticed before, like the shape of his nose, or the color of his eyes.

Junhui chose this exact moment to look up, though, and caught Minghao’s stare. They held eye contact for a second before Minghao embarrassingly ducked to look at Mingyu’s handiwork, and he could feel Junhui’s eyes lingering on him for a moment more.

Mingyu was a different story. While Jun was shorter and more built, Mingyu had height on all of them, which should have been intimidating, but really wasn’t. He was soft hearted, and Minghao’s chest tightened when he remembered that Mingyu had a crush on him. He felt so silly saying the word ‘crush’ like they were in high school, but it was the only thing he could think to classify it as. His hair looked very soft to the touch, and more than once, Minghao found himself wanting to card his fingers through it. Just the thought of his doing that made his mind feel drowsy, and suddenly he wanted nothing more than to sleep.

“You look tired.” Minghao turned his attention to Jun, who was still looking at him. “Go upstairs. We’ll get you when it’s time to eat.” Minghao nodded once in thanks. His limbs felt sore and he didn’t know why.

Before he could make it to the stairs, Wonwoo opens the front door, and before he could greet him, he calls out: “Whose wallet is this?”

Everything was quiet for a moment before Mingyu comes rushing out of the kitchen and to Wonwoo.

“Where did you find this?” Mingyu seemed exasperated, yet a huge smile was gracing his features.

“It was in the front yard.” Mingyu sighed in happiness and wrapped his arms around Wonwoo. Minghao stood there and stared, and Wonwoo didn’t seem uncomfortable, he just seemed like he would rather not get crushed by Mingyu.

“I thought I lost it, I was so sad, thank you, Wonwoo!” He hugged him again, and Minghao could hear Junhui snicker from the kitchen.

“Okay, I get it, you’re welcome.” Wonwoo said through a laugh. “Go, now. I’ll be back in a minute.”

Minghao took this as his cue to hop up the stairs and into his room. He couldn’t figure out what it was that he did today that made him so tired, but he didn’t complain as he laid down and fell asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow.

Later that night, he remembered dinner and dessert (which he had to admit that Jun was quite skilled in that area of baking), and retreated upstairs after he couldn’t seem to shake the feeling of drowsiness from his system.

It was probably closer to 2 AM at this point, and he was woken by a shriek from the opposite side of the room. He tried to open his eyes to see, and could only make out a lump under Mingyu’s blankets and groaning.

“Mingyu?” He spoke groggily, but it seemed to be enough.

“I hit my head.”

“Didn’t you already do that once before?”

“Yeah.” Minghao sighed. “I was having a nightmare and jolted too hard, I guess.” He hissed and shuffled around some more.

In the moment, he couldn’t decide if it was the fact that he felt bad, or if he was just too tired to care, but he found himself moving over and summoning Mingyu.

“Come sleep with me. It’s comfy.” He didn’t bother opening his eyes again after a pregnant pause, shuffling, and footsteps.

Mingyu crouched into his bed and involuntarily sighed and the warmth, and both of their sleepy minds took over as they moved closer together, and Minghao looped an arm over Mingyu and his hand found its way into his hair.

Mingyu sucked in a breath at the still tender skin, but relaxed when Minghao’s fingers threaded in between the strands of hair, lulling them both back to sleep.

The morning was just the same. They were both still very close together and their legs were intertwined, and Minghao’s chest erupted with butterflies when he saw Mingyu’s delicate face resting on his pillow. He didn’t want to get up, but food was calling his name all the way from downstairs, and he could always come back if Mingyu wasn’t awake.

He carefully peeled himself away from Mingyu and made his way down, his footsteps light on the stairs. The front door was open and sunlight was streaming in through the storm door, and he could see Wonwoo and Junhui sitting on the porch, backs to the house. The windows were open and they were letting a nice, refreshing breeze in, and Minghao could smell the salt of the sea.

He was making his way to the kitchen when their voices, or what they said specifically, made his turn the corner harshly, and peek his head from behind the wall to watch the two.

“It will be fine, babe, they’ve already taken a liking to each other.”

Babe. Junhui just called Wonwoo ‘babe’. This made Minghao’s stomach churn unpleasantly, recalling Junhui telling him they weren’t dating. Either Jun was lying, or they have a really weird friendship where they call each other pet names. This didn’t seem like that kind of situation.

“I know, I’m worried it will be a lot harder than it seems.” Wonwoo voiced. Minghao backed up slightly as he saw them both stand, but they made no move to come inside.

“I doubt it. Didn’t you see them this morning? There was literally no breathable space between them yet they slept like that all night.”

“Yeah, I know.”

They were clearly taking about him and Mingyu. They came in this morning? He got chills, and it crawled under his skin to know that they came in to… look at them? See if they were awake? Whatever it was, Minghao didn’t seem to mind it.

“Don’t worry.” Jun whispered, and then Minghao staggered backwards when he grabbed Wonwoo’s chin with one hand and pulled him in to kiss him briefly. He swung around, too shocked to keep looking, and sat at the island, not noticing the body next to him.

“Didn’t know you were that type.” Minghao jumped out of his skin at the sound of Jihoon’s voice, and he turned to look at him.

“W-what type?”

“Voyeurism.” Minghao had no reply to that, so he simply turned around, faced the counter, and put his head in his hands. He heard the two walk in but they didn’t approach the kitchen, instead, headed upstairs.

Finally, he spoke again. “Are they dating?”

Jihoon looked up. “Wonwoo and Junhui?” Minghao hummed. “Yeah.”

Minghao furrowed his eyebrows and shook his head. He opened his mouth a few times but no sound came out, confused on what to say.

“Did you think they weren’t?”

“No, I just… Jun told me they weren’t.”

Jihoon quirked an eyebrow. “Weird.” Was all he said.

Minghao kept to himself. He tried not to overanalyze Jun lying about their relationship, but he couldn’t stop thinking about how they were talking about him and Mingyu. They seemed to be doing a lot of that. He took a deep breath in, and stood to get food. More than anything, he hoped that they weren’t saying anything bad. The context of what he heard didn’t seem to be negative, but next to them in this house, he always just felt so small.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> gh this is so short and shit im sorry it will get better also sorry for that long pause ill try not to do that again ghrhg


	7. Seven

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things are discussed, sort of.

“They’re together.”

It’s become a regular thing for them, Minghao doesn’t really know when it happened, but it did. He found himself underneath Mingyu’s blankets this time, with his arm under Mingyu’s head and said head resting on his chest.

He had thought a lot about how Mingyu liked him, and how he possibly (most likely, positively, absolutely…) likes him back. He only stopped himself from progressing when he was reminded of his pressing feelings for the other two. Who were already together. And have apparently been talking a lot about Mingyu and himself. Which concerned him.

“Who?”

“Wonwoo and Junhui. I saw them a few days ago, I didn’t say anything because I thought you knew.”

“Oh.” Mingyu was quiet for a minute. “I kind of thought they were, but they’ve been acting weird like they’re trying to come on to us, so I thought they weren’t.”

“Come on to us…?”

Mingyu shifted his head up and looked at Minghao. “Yeah. I’ve noticed a lot how one or the other is looking at you, or sometimes me. Junhui has been acting very close to me and hinting things like that.” He shrugged. “I feel like… a relationship is what they are looking for. But like, not with each other. With us.”

“Is that possible?” Minghao entertained the idea for a moment. The idea of movie nights in Jun and Wonwoo’s bed all crushed together, except there were no awkward friend barriers and he could cuddle up to whoever he liked. He didn’t mind it, and it made his stomach flutter.

“I read something about it online once. It’s a common thing, not too common but it happens. Multiple people in one relationship. It’s like, you love person A, and person A loves you, but you also love person B and person B loves you, and both person A and B love each other. It’s very… hard to grasp of a concept, but I get it. Maybe awkward.”

Minghao hummed. He hadn’t known there was a thing like this, and now that he knew it existed, he couldn’t help but think that this was what the pair were after, unless he was overanalyzing.

“Do you think it’s what they want?” Minghao whispered.

“It might be. You can always ask Jihoon. I feel like Wonwoo tells him a lot.”

Minghao shrugged. They didn’t say anything for a while, Minghao’s hand was in Mingyu’s hair and all they could hear was each other’s breathing. Minghao looked down at Mingyu. He had his eyes closed and he could feel Mingyu’s other hand on the left side of his waist, not moving, just existing in the moment.

He felt more comfortable than he thought he should on his bed, in his sheets. All he could smell was Mingyu, and the weight on his body didn’t bother him at all, because it was Mingyu. Under his fingertips was the soft fabric of his shirt, and the strands of hair that occasionally crossed his mind. His eyelashes were long and full, and he looked peaceful when his eyes were closed, with no expression on his face. His septum ring glistened with the slowly setting sun behind them.

He averted his gaze back up to the ceiling. When he found nothing interesting to focus his gaze on, he closed his eyes, letting the rise and fall of his own chest lift Mingyu’s head, and his fingers did their own thing in his hair.

“You know, right?” Mingyu broke the silence, he kept his voice low and his facial expressions didn’t change, but he seemed like he was purposefully trying to stay still.

“Know what?” Minghao looked down again. Mingyu still didn’t move.

He took a breath in. A beat of silence passed. “That I like you.”

Somehow, hearing him say it out loud was so much better than hearing it second hand. His hand paused its movements, and he heard Mingyu suck a breath in. He tried to bite his lips to suppress the grin overtaking his features, but he couldn’t stop it. He let go of his bottom lip from his teeth and smiled. Mingyu moved his head to look up, worry etched on his face. Minghao laughed, he laughed at how light he felt, but he also laughed because he knew Mingyu had nothing to worry about.

Minghao adjusted them both so that they were face to face, the large smile that Minghao was sporting seemed to carefully wear away the fearful look of Mingyu.

“Yeah. I know.” His smile dimmed, but he was not upset by anything. He got closer to Mingyu’s face, their noses making contact and he looked straight into Mingyu’s large eyes. “I like you, too.” He whispered.

“Really?” Mingyu asked, a grin slowly taking shape.

“Yeah, I do.”

Mingyu smiled now, and his teeth peeked out from under his top lip. They took a moment to just stare at each other, and Minghao’s heart grew in size at how Mingyu looked at him. His eyes were shining, and he looked nowhere else but him. Minghao had never experienced this feeling before. To have someone like him this much where in the moment, all they could do is look at you, and Minghao couldn’t help but to do the same back.

“What now?” Mingyu looked so innocent.

“I don’t know.”

“Do we… date?” Minghao grinned at his choice of words.

“If you want.” Mingyu bit his lip and shuffled his way closer to Minghao.

“Kind of.” He looked back up at Minghao, his hands were playing with the hem of Minghao’s shirt and he looked so shy and cute in that moment, his cheeks were dusted pink. Instead of replying, Minghao maneuvered his body and faced Mingyu, who was still wide-eyed. He put his left hand onto Mingyu’s cheek and worked his other hand out from under his body and placed it on the other side of Mingyu/s face and he pulled him in and kissed him.

Minghao, in his defense, hadn’t kissed anyone in a while. But it seemed he was doing okay when Mingyu grabbed his waist and pushed himself closer, closer. His lips were soft, Minghao had to wonder exactly what kind of product he used. He smelled like a thousand dollars, literally, and the skin that he could feel brushing over the tip of his nose was soft and smooth. He tasted sweet, Minghao admittedly tried to bring himself even closer to the older boy. His hands snaked around into his hair again and Mingyu had a better grip on his waist.

For a while, all they did was kiss.

It seemed like years of tension wrapped up in those small weeks they had known each other, letting it all out underneath the sheets of a small bed, on a Thursday night as the three other people downstairs had no idea. They were in their own world. Minghao didn’t want to detach from him. He feared he was already addicted to him.

“What the fuck?”

They pulled away so fast, Mingyu hit his head on the wall. Minghao forgot about the person to console Mingyu, caressing the back of his head as the person still stood in the door way.

“So…” They finally looked to see who it was, not surprised when it was Junhui, Wonwoo close behind. He hid behind Jun; it was hard to depict what he was feeling.

Minghao sat up and swung his legs over the side.

“What?” He rubbed his eyes.

“How long were you at that?” Jun eyed Mingyu. Minghao turned around to see him with pink cheeks and cherry red lips, and he wanted to lean in again, but he fought that away.

“I don’t know. Does it matter?” Minghao put his arms over his head and stretched, rubbing his face and groaning.

“Are you together?”

“Are you?” Junhui was taken aback by the sudden question in rebuttal to his own. Minghao stared at him, one eyebrow raised, ready to call him out if he lied.

Junhui stared at him, and Minghao stared back. Wonwoo cowered behind Jun and Mingyu said nothing.

“Yeah. We are.”

“Thought so.” Minghao stood, glaring at him, not knowing where the sudden anger came from. He walked towards the pair in the door and Junhui watched him approach, letting him pass by without a word of protest.

He found himself a few hours later sitting on the porch. The sun had set long ago and all he could see was the moon and everything illuminated by the streetlamps. He had his phone in his hand but he wasn’t using it. He put his head on the side of the chair, no longer having the strength to hold it up himself. The cool air flitted over his skin and left small goosebumps in their wake, but he was not cold. He inhaled deeply, listening to nothing but his own breathing and whatever car rode by a few streets away. He heard the side door open, but he didn’t turn to see who it was.

He only saw once he stepped into his plane of view, the black tee all too familiar at this point. He sat, they both said nothing.

Minghao could tell Jun was looking for something to say, but the right words were buried, unable to show themselves. Minghao decided to start.

“What was going to come out of lying?”

Jun sighed, neither of them made an effort to meet eyes.

“It’s complicated.”

“The truth is less complicated.”

“It’s really not.” Jun tried to argue back. Minghao looked at him finally, he was already looking at Minghao.

“Then explain.”

“You would think it’s weird.”

Minghao sighed, looking back down. He shook his head. “Would I?”

Jun opened his mouth to speak, but closed it and sighed through his nose instead. “I feel like… you’d get it. But I also feel like you wouldn’t want in.”

“In on what? I’m not going to know until you tell me.”

“We aren’t trying to hide our relationship.” Minghao was about to argue until Junhui cut him off again. “Now, we aren’t. We did at first because we thought it would… attract either of you to one of us to make it easier.”

“Make what easier?”

“Let me explain.” Minghao closed his mouth and rested his head back onto the back of the chair. “Me and Wonwoo have always been very open. To each other, and other people. It’s a very open relationship.” Minghao turned his head to look at Junhui. He was looking straight forward. “We’ve always entertained the idea of adding in other people, temporarily or permanently, for one night, or for a few years. We didn’t plan for this to happen, but it just kind of did.” He let out a breathy laugh. “Not to sound cliché, but, when Wonwoo say you he claimed that you would be perfect, and I didn’t believe it until I met you that day outside the restaurant. So, maybe it was the wrong way to approach things, but, it had no bad intentions behind it.”

Minghao sat. Mingyu was right, after all. He had a hard time trying to wrap his brain around this new information, hard time trying to think of a response.

He didn’t know what Jun was expecting as a response, though. He didn’t know if he wanted Minghao to agree, or if he wanted him to say anything at all.

“You want… both of us?” Junhui let out a raspy laugh at that.

“Not at first. Well, I guess technically, because the first day I saw you was also when we looked at Mingyu’s Instagram, and I will admit, we were kind of whipped.

“I know it sounds weird, but, it’s what me and Wonwoo have always known. We have always tried to… be open. Bring in people. It’s never really worked. Unless this does work out.”

Minghao shook his head. “I don’t know.”

“I didn’t expect you to know.”

“it’s… confusing. Mingyu was explaining it to me. He said he had noticed you both being odd, and brought it up. Weird to think he was right.”

“He thought that’s what we wanted?” Minghao nodded. Jun hummed. “Props to him.”

“I guess so.” They were quiet for a few more moments, listening to each other.

“Um,” Minghao started. “This is… going to take a while. For me to… just accept it.”

“It’s okay, it’s a new concept. I get it.” Jun was reassuring, and Minghao felt his muscles loosen at the reassurance.

Nothing else needed to be said. Minghao mulled over the idea for a minute, thinking about what life would be like, living with people who he also considered boyfriends. Three of them, to be exact. Minghao hadn’t dated in a long time, not since a little thing he wouldn’t even consider to be dating back in sophomore year of high school. He wasn’t the one to actively look out for boyfriends, but he was a little shocked now because, potentially, three of them had found him instead.

It would be nice, he thought. It would be nice getting to be yourself around people that you don’t need to keep secrets from, people you don’t need to worry about neglecting them like a friend after a new relationship formed. He didn’t mind the idea of it. But it was still too much for him to jump into, right now.

He stood up. Junhui looked at him. “We should talk about this. Soon. The four of us.” Junhui nodded. “I’m going to bed. Goodnight.”

Walking into the house, he bound up the stairs, and sighed at the cool interior of his room. He walked over to his bed and paused, looking over his shoulder to Mingyu, who was curled up and facing the wall. He thought about it. What it would be like to be dating him and the two others. What life would be like to wake up and seek out any of your partners. It didn’t matter. It felt nice, the thought of it.

He took a step towards Mingyu’s bed, but stopped himself, figuring the boy doesn’t need Minghao there always. He turned around and bunched up the covers, slipping underneath him, and wanting sleep to come as fast as possible.


	8. Eight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things happen, finally.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> first of all sorry for not updating this as fast as i wanted to i was in my #feels and contemplated quitting writing and almost deleted my account a handful of times but dont worry that wont happen (yet)  
> second of all shameless self plug but my one shot 'like yesterday' is almost at 1k hits so maybe check it out if you havent?   
> anyway read it i guess im still in those #feels mentioned earlier so my mindset is just my writing sucks i will get nowhere but i post anyway cause i hate myself ok bye

They talked, yes, but not as much talking as Minghao hoped.

Nothing productive was on their agenda it seemed, and it only added to the fire in Minghao’s chest as he sat and watched and couldn’t help but to imagine. It made him anxious when the four of them would be in the same room, and conversation would be floating around but so many questions prodded at the back of his mind. He was sure that Wonwoo still had no idea that he and Junhui talked, but every time he wanted to approach Wonwoo, his nerves got the best of him, and he cowered away.

He was standing in front of the mirror, his platinum hair disheveled and the roots growing long, telling himself he cannot do that any longer, and he will say something to Wonwoo.

Of course, after the butterflies in his stomach seize.

School had officially started, and whenever any of the five boys were home, it consisted of them doing work as soon as they came in so not to put it off forever in the corner of their desk and stay up until midnight while doing it. Now that, of course, is exactly what Minghao decided to do.

It’s not like he did it on purpose, it was rather an accident, a lounge on his bed pondering his life decisions turned into a really good nap which then turned into him missing dinner time because the other boys weren’t home, and, now he is here, at his desk at midnight.

He could hear Mingyu’s light breathing from behind him and it occasionally distracted him, trying to fight off thoughts of wanting to crawl under the covers with him. He stared down, his eyes burning every time he blinked and he had to move. His legs were sore and his neck cracked when he rolled it back, and he stood, deciding he couldn’t sit any longer.

He stood as quietly as he could, being careful not to disturb Mingyu in any way. He avoided all the areas of his hallway that creak and made it through the doorway in time to see Jihoon retreat to his room and gently close the door. Wonwoo and Jun’s room door was ajar, a blue glow filtering out, but no noise.

Minghao crept over and snuck a look in, only to see a little nightlight in the corner (which he was positive he had teased Jun about having before), and Junhui asleep in the round chair by the windows.

Minghao momentarily wondered why he fell asleep over there, but paid no mind as he made his way down the stairs, not trying to hide his noise as he figured Jihoon was the last one to be downstairs. He jumped slightly, though, when he saw Wonwoo at the island stools.

Wonwoo turned around and acknowledged him with a nod, and resumed giving attention to his drink and phone.

Immediately, the right side of Minghao’s mind told him he should not put it off anymore, and he should talk to Wonwoo, alone, while he had the chance. And that chance was now. The perfect chance. He knew he should and he knew what to say, but his jaw felt stiff and his tongue heavy and his stomach tight when he wanted to say it. He feigned nonchalant while his mind was running miles, trying to work up the courage to speak, to do something.

He let his hands pour himself a drink and tried to act as natural as possible though every inch of his body was thrumming, and he was sure he would go crazy.

He was startled when Wonwoo addressed him first.

“Are you okay? You seem a little off.” He meant the question in good nature, Minghao knew, but he couldn’t help the way his gut squeezed. “You tired?”

Minghao swallowed. How could he bring this up now? “Yeah, I think.”

Wonwoo chuckled softly. “I thought you had the whole homework thing down and pact. You know, not to be done at midnight.”

Minghao smiled, but his back still faced Wonwoo. “I guess I don’t.” It came out in a way he didn’t want it to, almost somberly. Wonwoo sighed and Minghao heard his glass clink against the counter.

“Come here, sit.” Minghao finally turned, and Wonwoo was gesturing to the seat to the right of him. Minghao took heavy steps to sit there. They both said nothing for a minute, and Minghao thought silence was all that was going to happen, but Wonwoo had other plans. “Something on your mind?”

Minghao tried so, so hard to get it out, to make his mouth form the words and to tell Wonwoo what really was on his mind, but it was just quiet. He felt his own mouth open and close, his tongue was drying up but his mind was blank.

Wonwoo watched him, a soft gaze resting on his tense body. He looked down, and spoke, breaking the silence that Minghao’s lack of words created.

“I talked to Jun. I know you talked to Jun.”

Minghao turned his head, a slight look of surprise adorning his features. When he registered what it meant, though, his cheeks heated, and he turned his head away.

“I’m not going to deny it. I’m not going to deny the fact that I do want that either. I don’t know where exactly Junhui and I both realized that it’s what we wanted, and I don’t know what he told you but we had no intentions of finding roommates just to find people to date, but, it just happened.” Neither of them looked at each other. “Jun talks a lot, probably never asked how you felt.”

Minghao exhaled, and tried to find the right words. “I’ve been testing it out in my head. When we all sit together and do something I just kind of… think. Of how it would be different if we were all together.” He laughed breathily. “It doesn’t seem half bad.”

Wonwoo looked at him now, and Minghao shyly lifted his eyes. “Do you like us? Like… like like?” A small smile graced his lips.

“I’m pretty positive.”

“Wonwoo’s cheeks puffed up with his smile, and they were both too shy to meet eyes again. Wonwoo scooted his stool closer to Minghao.

“Are you and Mingyu comfortable with each other?”

“If the fact that we were walked in on making out intensely says anything, then I would say yes.”

“You’ve gotten closer since then?”

“Yeah. We talk a lot.”

“Kiss a lot?” Minghao heated up again.

“Yeah.”

“Good. At least we don’t have to work on getting you two to like each other.”

“Speaking of Mingyu, does he know?”

“Yeah, he does.” Wonwoo finished his drink. “Junhui talked to him already and he said that he was okay with it if you were. He’s not that great at concealing his feelings, so it’s kind of cute to see him trail you and Junhui around like a lost, lovesick puppy. I sometimes notice it to, I just kind of give him a look.”

Minghao laughed quietly. “Doesn’t he pout after he’s been called out?”

Wonwoo grinned. “Yeah, he does. It’s cute. I tell him that I don’t mind though, so he keeps following me anyway.” Minghao listened to Wonwoo talk about Mingyu, and though his words mock slight fun of him, Minghao could tell the older was fond of him, glad to have him around.

“He says he likes you a lot.” Wonwoo continues, and Minghao meets his eyes. “He’s worried sometimes you don’t like him as much, he’s like a high schooler, it’s cute.”

“Mingyu likes me a lot?” Wonwoo laughs.

“Yeah, he does. It’s like the fact that you room together and sleep in the same bed isn’t enough to convince him you aren’t sick of him.”

Minghao felt guilt crawl up his spine. Mingyu feeling guilty is the last thing Minghao wanted. He sighed. “I… haven’t been acting that great of a significant other to him since school started. It’s a lot of stress and my first year and,” Minghao paused. “I feel guilty that he feels ignored. I didn’t mean to do that.”

“I’m sure if you told him that he would understand. He told me and Junhui before that he’s worried about you. From what he says I’m assuming this isn’t the first time you stayed up past midnight to do work.”

Minghao smiled self-deprecatingly. “Yeah, I have. It’s not great. I can’t help it.”

“Talk it out with him. I’m sure he’s better help than I am.”

“You’re easier to talk to than Jun. Not that I don’t like talking to him, he can be…” Minghao trailed off, not knowing how to finish the sentence.

Wonwoo laughed, though. “I get it.”

They fell into another silence, neither of them uncomfortable but both of them still shy from the indirect confession. Wonwoo scooted even closer, and Minghao looked down at the seat, their hips almost touching at this point. Wonwoo leans in to Minghao’s side, and Minghao watches his profile.

“Um, I-” Wonwoo stuttered, and it took Minghao by surprise as he rarely sees the boy caught off guard. He sighed and shook his head slightly. “Fuck it I guess.” He mumbled, then: “Can I kiss you?” His voice was soft, as to not wake anyone but also out of embarrassment. Minghao saw the pink hue filling out Wonwoo’s cheeks and thought it was one of the cutest things he has yet to see in this house.

“Yeah.” Wonwoo smiled lopsidedly and brought his left hand to the right side of Minghao’s face and brought him in. Minghao’s eyes fluttered closed, and he felt soft, plump lips gently touch his once, twice, and a third time but with slightly more force than the first two.

Wonwoo pulled away, no intentions of turning this into a make out session, just testing the waters. They met eyes and Wonwoo rested his forehead on Minghao’s. Minghao closed his eyes, liking the weight of Wonwoo on his body and in his heart.

The next day, conveniently, Minghao had one class and the rest of them did not. Jihoon, however, was not in the house claiming that he would rather be out with friends than staying in the house full of four sexually frustrated teenagers. Minghao scoffed at that, he was far from being considered a teenager.

After he had gotten home, he and Mingyu stayed in their room, not doing much of anything except talking and internet browsing, but that was interrupted when Junhui came knocking on their open door.

“Can we come in?” His voice was soft, and when he said ‘we’, Minghao instantly got nervous. His muscles tightened and his stomach clenched and he tried to will the nerves away, but they only grew stronger with every step the pair took into the room. Mingyu was on his bed while Minghao was seated at the desk, and Wonwoo leaned back onto empty desk space and Junhui sat on Minghao’s bed. Despite the space, they still all felt really close to each other.

Minghao didn’t start the conversation, nor did he want to, nor did he know how. He watched as Mingyu looked nervous too and Junhui and Wonwoo looked at each other before Jun straightened up, and finally started talking.

“I think it’s time we should talk about this, especially now, while Jihoon isn’t here.” He saw Mingyu cast his eyes downward, and he felt almost like a little kid being confronted by his parents. Jun sighed. “Don’t be shy, there’s nothing to be embarrassed about. Between talking with different people, I hope it’s clear that we like each other.” Minghao looked at Jun, he was diverting his gaze between the three of them, addressing them all as one. “Right?” Wonwoo nodded, prompting the other two to do the same. Minghao felt warm, and he saw Mingyu with rosy cheeks as well.

“We have told both of you that we didn’t hunt you down or something, that just thought you two would be good for us.” Wonwoo explained. “We thought you were cute, and hopefully you thought it back, too, and you do, and it’s not ideal, I know, but the talking needed to happen eventually. It can’t just be side conversations anymore.”

“So,” Junhui picked up after Wonwoo was done and no one else was going to speak, “If none of us, or you,” he addressed Minghao and Mingyu. “are opposed to the idea, we want to try dating. All of us. Together.” He watched Mingyu, who had bright eyes and was looking at Minghao. It didn’t seem like Mingyu was going to say anything if Minghao didn’t, so he did.

“I don’t think it could be bad. Personally, it seems oddly less stressful to have more than one boyfriend. If that makes sense.”

Junhui smiled, and Wonwoo shifted beside him.

“How, exactly… would this work?” Mingyu asked. It wasn’t with a negative connotation, simply curiosity, or confusion. Possibly both.

“Well,” Wonwoo answered. “It’s like what Minghao said. Kind of. It’s like if I am your boyfriend, but so if Minghao and so is Junhui. It’s not cheating, or anything, because Minghao is dating me, while I date Jun while Jun also dates Minghao and they both date you.” Mingyu’s brows furrowed. “Don’t stress out. It’s just like, one big love square, but, no one gets left out.”

“But that’s what I’m afraid of.”

“Getting left out?”

“That, but more like leaving someone out. Like if I wanted to do something with one of you, how can I not worry that I am leaving the others out?”

“But it’s not like a friend thing, I don’t think.” Minghao decided to butt in. “It’s not like, you do a lot of things with one friend and don’t ask the other to come, but it’s a steady communication between everyone. Because we are just as involved in each other’s lives as you are with Jun, or he is with Wonwoo, and as Wonwoo is with me.” He paused a minute, Mingyu’s panic seemed to slowly fade away. “If we are all going to be dating, I think it would be ideal that our communication is strong. Strong enough to let the others know they aren’t being left out.”

Mingyu seemed to visibly relax now, his eyes lighting up again and looking at the two oldest. Junhui turned to Minghao, and flashed him a quick smile before turning back to Mingyu. “Yeah, exactly.”

Mingyu held brief eye contact with Minghao, and Minghao reassuringly grinned at him. Minghao looked up at Wonwoo to see him looking at Jun, who was in turn looking at Minghao. He felt a swelling feeling in his chest, a feeling that seemed too big for him to keep there. A feeling that immediately he expelled after he says: “I want to do this. Be with you.”

Mingyu smiled shyly and looked at his hands in his lap. He looks up to meet eyes with Junhui, who had his head tilted encouragingly, silently urging Mingyu to be courageous and take the first step.

“Me, too.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this took way longer than necessary. hmu on twitter if you wanna stay and chat!! @_ilstagram please im lonely and nice i promiese,   
> see u in the next update if i dont delete my account lol!


	9. Nine

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A few weeks later, Minghao's heart finally finds it's home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> IM SORRY THIS TOOK SO LONG FORGIVE ME!! BUT ITS HERE!! MORE DETAILED NOTE AT THE END!!

Minghao groaned and rolled over in bed. The sun was not up yet, so neither was he. He shut his eyes again and tried to will himself back to sleep, working for a good five minutes until he heard movement coming from the other side of the room.

“Minghao, come here.” A groggy, deep voice rumbled out.

He was in his own room, but the voice that spoke did not belong to his usual roommate.

Boyfriend. Usual boyfriend. Minghao still had to get used to saying that.

He was pretty sure the voice speaking was Wonwoo, and he can’t remember when he and Mingyu had traded spots. Wonwoo sounded obviously tired and interrupted from his sleep, from what, Minghao didn’t know.

“Wonwoo?” Minghao lifted his head. Wonwoo hummed as a response. “Where’s Mingyu?” His voice was more clear than Wonwoo’s, but he was still not about to wake up anytime soon.

“He’s with Junhui. He wanted to sleep with him.” Minghao wondered when they switched, because he remembered going to bed with Mingyu in the room. Maybe it was after he fell asleep. He knew he went to bed earlier than the others due to school work tiring him out, so probably sometime along in the night Mingyu went to go sleep with their eldest boyfriend. God, that word still made Minghao giddy.

“Come here, I want to lay with you.” Wonwoo spoke again after a prolonged silence from Minghao.

Minghao got up, trying to make the journey quick since the air in the room was a stark contrast to the warmth under the covers. He padded his way over to Wonwoo, who lay against the wall making room for Minghao.

He climbed in, already relishing in the warmth radiating from Wonwoo, and he wasted no time in cuddling up right next to him. Once he was settled, Wonwoo drew the blankets back up, enveloping them both. Wonwoo draped his arm over Minghao’s waist and the younger boy nuzzled under Wonwoo’s chin.

Like this, Minghao was content. He was content as could be, with his boyfriend holding him tight and lightly snoring on top of his head. Neither of them were even in their own bed, but Minghao didn’t care, and it seemed neither did Wonwoo. Quicker than before, Minghao was drifting. He couldn’t find it in himself to be worried about due dates or projects, or homework. Right now, on his mind was just his boyfriend. And his other two boyfriends, across the hall.

“Wonwoo?” He whispered, trying not to wake Wonwoo if he was sleeping. Luckily, he wasn’t, and groaned in response. “We should all sleep together sometime.”

Wonwoo chuckled lightly. “If that’s what you want, babe.” Minghao preened at the pet name, secretly loving it and wanting to hear it more, but even just this once, it could lull him to sleep again.

“Go to sleep, it’s early.” Wonwoo brought his head down and kissed Minghao quickly. Wonwoo’s lips were warm, and Minghao leaned up to steal one more. “Hey,” Wonwoo pinched Minghao’s cheek gently, pressing a quick kiss to the tip of his nose. “Go to sleep. You can get more in the morning.” Despite Wonwoo talking softly, his tone contradicted his words. He leaned down and captured Minghao’s lips once more, then again, and again.

Minghao nipped at Wonwoo’s lip, and Wonwoo’s hand slithered down his body to grab his waist. Only now did Minghao realize he never really made out with Wonwoo, they only shared quick kisses every now and then, most of the time when they were alone.

But now they were really alone, everyone asleep in their respected rooms. Jihoon was even asleep, the night owl of the house. Minghao seemed to take a sudden notice to this, as he stopped suddenly.

“What is it?” Wonwoo asked, curious. He halted his movements of gaining on Minghao, not wanting to stress the boy out.

“We- we… never really… made out. We just kind of… kiss.” Wonwoo stared at him, not judging.

“Do you want to try?” Wonwoo’s voice was steady, and it gave Minghao the idea that he probably thought long and hard about this, while Minghao just pushed it away. He licked his lips. Truthfully, he would like to try making out with Wonwoo, but he knew that he and Mingyu were two totally different people. Mingyu liked to be lead during kisses, and Minghao had no idea what Wonwoo was like, if he was the same or completely different. He figured there was truthfully only one way to find out.

“Yeah.” He whispered. Wonwoo cocked a smile and moved closer, slowly.

“Back out when you wanna…” Wonwoo grasped his waist again, and Minghao felt his other hand come up to the side of his face. His heart was racing with nervousness, he wondered if this was going to be anything like the first time he kissed Minghao. Minghao didn’t move, telling himself to stop thinking and to just do it. Just to let Wonwoo do it.

He started with a soft kiss, gentle and quick, once more time, then the third time he went to kiss him he slowed down, and coaxed Minghao’s mouth to move with his own. Wonwoo’s lips were very soft, Minghao didn’t think that would change between a few seconds ago and now, but he was surprised at how soft they were. It was nothing like kissing Mingyu. Wonwoo took charge. His fingers dug into the skin of Minghao’s hip and whenever Minghao pushed his face closer to get as much of Wonwoo as he could, Wonwoo pushed back. Minghao gave up and let Wonwoo take the initiative, letting the hand that was on his hip roam up the skin of his back, leaving goosebumps in their wake, and making Minghao press his body closer and closer.

Wonwoo gently bit Minghao’s lip and pulled away, Minghao was left breathless. He only stared at Wonwoo, who looked unfairly gorgeous with his messy hair and tired eyes and lopsided grin. Minghao wanted to punch him. Gently, with his lips, on Wonwoo’s lips.

“You okay?” Wonwoo asked, his voice deep.

Minghao was still breathless as he answered: “How are you so good at that?” Wonwoo’s smile grew, and he pulled himself closer to Minghao.

“Lots of practice.” Wonwoo’s eyes fell back to Minghao’s lips, and he instinctively licked them.

“Can you teach me?” Minghao flirted, just wishing they could skip the talk and get right back to what they were doing.

“Of course.” Both of Wonwoo’s hands graced either side of Minghao’s face and he pulled him in, kissed him hard, and left him seeing stars.

In the morning, after they eventually managed to separate and go to sleep, Minghao woke first, seeing Wonwoo laying on his back, face tilted towards the wall. Minghao admired his side profile, and was jealous of how perfect his nose was. How perfect his everything was.

Minghao wondered what he ever did in his life to get so lucky. He had not one, but three beautiful men who hopefully feel the same way Minghao does to them, and he gets to be selfish and soak it all up. He truly questions how he got here. How he went from a boy in the city of Phoenix, Arizona to living life to its greatest potential in Maine with three boyfriends. All of which he adores to the moon and back one hundred times, and right now, he finds himself missing the other two. He heard laughter downstairs, and had an urge to go check it out, but the majority of him wanted to stay in bed, and wait for Wonwoo to wake up.

He decided he didn’t want to wait, so he tried to wake Wonwoo himself. He called out his name a few times, and when that didn’t work, he roused him by grabbing his shoulders and putting him on his side so he faced Minghao. Wonwoo inhaled a sharp breath before cracking open his eyes, shielding himself from the sun with one hand, and the other found the boy in front of him, and pulled him close.

Wonwoo groaned as he stretched his legs out. “Hey, babe.” His voice was raspy and thick with sleep, and Minghao thought it was the hottest thing he had ever heard. Minghao giggled at him and combed his hair back with his fingers. Wonwoo closed his eyes and smiled at the touch.

“I think they’re making breakfast downstairs. Want to go see?” Wonwoo stretched his arms over his head and moaned, and Minghao tried all it was worth to not get distracted by that sound. He sat up, turning around to see Wonwoo waiting to do the same, then walked to the door, waiting for his boyfriend to follow suit.

Wonwoo was close behind the whole time they walked downstairs, and they turned to corner to see Mingyu and Junhui at the stove, backs turned to the others. The first thing Minghao noticed was they were both shirtless, and had their shorts slung dangerously low on their hips. The second thing he noticed was Junhui had his right arm around Mingyu’s waist, and it looked like he was feeding him chocolate chips from a bowl to Junhui’s right.

Junhui had his hair pushed off his forehead and it sat like that on top of his head, while Mingyu’s was combed straight down. They both started laughing at something, and Minghao’s heart leaped.

He and Wonwoo stood to the side for a moment, Wonwoo resting his chin on Minghao’s shoulder with his arms around his waist.

Junhui reached over and seemed to have stolen something from Mingyu.

“Hey!” Junhui smiled. “Junhui…” Mingyu whined.

“Crazy night?” Wonwoo said, and it made both of them turn around.

“Ah, Wonwoo…” his cheeks flushed and he turned back around to the stove. Junhui cocked an eyebrow, smirking at them both.

Junhui’s hand traveled back up Mingyu’s back, and he looked at the taller boy. “Natural bottom right here, huh?”

“Jun!” Mingyu hit his arm, face darkening. Minghao laughed. Wonwoo cheered.

Wonwoo walked over to the two, slapping Mingyu’s ass. Mingyu whined again, and refused to make eye contact. Minghao thought it was cute that the two were so close.

“It just happened okay! Maybe I wanted Jun to top, you don’t know…” Mingyu trailed off, still not lifting his eyes, and Minghao couldn’t help but smile.

“Sure, Gyu. Next time, okay?” Junhui winked at him, and even Minghao could tell that Junhui was not ever going to let Mingyu top.

“When did you guys even have sex? We were right there, we would have heard? And what about Jihoon?”

“It was after we went upstairs. I don’t know how you didn’t hear, I know Jihoon did. He gave us a right scolding when he woke up this morning.” Junhui raised his brows, and looked at Mingyu’s back, watching the muscles flex. “Ah,” he stood up and walked behind Mingyu, putting his hand on the small of his back. “It took a little bit of work to get him out of his shell, but he was like jelly when I did, right babe?”

Mingyu sighed and turned around, holding a plate with a stack of pancakes and placing it on the counter. “My god, I can’t believe we are still talking about this.”

“It’s nothing to be embarrassed about Gyu.” Wonwoo consoled. “We’re all going to experience it.”

“That’s not helping!”

Minghao patted Mingyu’s shoulder. “If it helps, you can top me whenever we get around to it.”

Mingyu just stared. “You’re lying.” He whispered.

Minghao nodded. “I am.”

Mingyu fake sobbed and dropped his head on the counter. Minghao patted his back with one hand while the other was occupied with feeding himself a pancake.

“There’s nothing wrong with being a power bottom, Gyu.”

“I am not a power bottom!” He grumbled, not lifting his head up.

Junhui laughed and leaned down to kiss his head. “Come on, eat with us. You made these, we can’t be the only ones eating.” He spoke as he reached over Mingyu’s slumped figure to grab a pancake.

“I’m not hungry.” He mumbled.

“Aye,” Jun lightly slapped his back.

“Come here, sit next to me. Eat.” Wonwoo ruffled his hair, and reluctantly, Mingyu stood and made his way over to Wonwoo and sat. the younger boy leaned onto him and Wonwoo fed him a bite of his pancake. Wonwoo stretched his right arm and hooked it around his shoulders, threading his fingers through Mingyu’s hair. Junhui leaned into Minghao’s side, distracting him from looking at the boys in front of him.

“What about you? How did you sleep?” Junhui’s arm was making its way around Minghao’s waist, and he leaned into it.

“Good. Very warm. Comfy.” He met eyes with Wonwoo, who raised his eyebrows in a suggestive manner, reminding Minghao if the night they had.

“Woah, woah, woah… did I miss something?” Junhui said after catching Wonwoo’s look. Minghao smiled and bit his cheek.

“Don’t worry about it.” Jun squeezed Minghao’s side and he yelped, Junhui laughed but pulled Minghao close.

Minghao wondered how he got so lucky. How he managed to land himself right in the middle of three perfect boys who give him all the love he could ever want or need. How he managed to find people who feel just as intensely for him as he does for them. He wondered how he managed to find a situation so perfect that, in a sense, it completed him.

This group of people, coming from places like his own home in Arizona, or Jun in Miami, and the other two who were New England born and raised. Such an oddball bunch, yet they fit into the pieces of each other perfectly. Minghao couldn’t imagine a way he would rather have it be.

Yeah, they weren’t ideal. This wasn’t society’s idea of ideal, but they were each other’s ideal. Granted, the road they started walking down took them a few months to get to know each other and some more to really kick start the relationship. It was wild what life had in store for someone when they aren’t afraid to just go for it.

Mingyu shot his head up and knocked Wonwoo in the jaw. Minghao laughed at them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> yay for new england!  
> thats a wrap folks! im so happy yet sad to see this end cause i love it so much but its time i got off my lazy hiatus to update it!  
> first, thank you so much to everyone who read this and left amazing comments. thank you for two thousand, three thousand hits, cause i know its going to hit that soon and there wont be another chapter for me to say that! so thank you! thank you guys for all the support on this, it means so much to me.  
> second, if you liked this, please let me know what you thought! i had rough patches while writing this and it really helps to know what the strong points are.  
> ahhh theres so much more to say but i dont know how i just love everyone who supported me and ot4 guys please write more ot4!!  
> if you enjoyed this, i produce so much more (and arguably better) content like this once or twice a month, so keep updated with me on twitter (@_ilstagram) if you would like to know when something is coming out!  
> i know jihoon was a very minor character in this, but i kind of wanted to just throw someone in there so it breaks up the dense-ness of jut ot4 in one house. hopefully that made sense.  
> anyways if you read this thank you and thank you for supporting the story it means a lot to me <3  
> very sincerely-- cam (thejuniorroyals)

**Author's Note:**

> please yell at me on twitter (@_ilstagram) if i go on hiatus i need this to get done!!


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